SIR. PHILIP SIDNEY’S AN APOLOGY FOR POETRY/THE DEFENCE OF POESY (CRITICISM 5)

 

SIR. PHILIP SIDNEY’S AN APOLOGY FOR POETRY/THE DEFENCE OF POESY

(CRITICISM 5)

 

          Sir. Philip Sidney was born on 30^th November 1554 in Kent.  In 1582 he was knighted and became member of Parliament.  In 1586 he was mortally wounded in the battle field and succumbed to it.  It is said as he lay dying, Sidney composed a song to be sung by his deathbed.  In the last quarter of the 16^th century, the need for a proper understanding of the nature and function of poetry was widely felt.  Moreover, in 1579, Stephen Gossen, who was a puritan published a treatise, ‘The School of abuse’, in which he attacked poetry and drama of the age.  The book was also dedicated to Sidney.  So, Sidney besides being a public servant, who was also a man of letters of great reputation, wrote his Apology for poetry in order to vindicate poetry against the onslaughts of the puritans.  Though it was written in 1583, it was published in 1595 by Henry Olney with the title ‘Aplogy for poetry’ and in 1598 by William Ponsonby with the title ‘Defence of Poesy’ posthumously.

          In ‘Apology for poetry’ Sidney talks about the antiquity and universality of poetry.  Apart from discussing the kinds of poetry and their usefulness, he strongly objects tragicomedy and the violation of the unities.  Moreover his remarks on style, diction and verification are very effective.  He defines poetry as an art of imitation.  As it is representing, counterfeiting or figuring forth, it is really a speaking picture and so its end is to teach and delight.

          Sidney divides poetry into three broad divisions namely religious poetry, philosophical poetry and true kind of poetry.  Religious poetry praises God, where as philosophical poetry imparts knowledge of philosophy, history, astronomy etc.  He is of the opinion that as it is “The sweet food of sweetly uttered knowledge”, it is not to be condemned.  The third kind of poetry are divided into lyric, pastoral, heroic, tragic, comic and satiric etc.  Pastoral poetry deals with the lonliest life and thus arouses sympathy and admiration for simple life.  Similarly elegiac poetry arouses sympathy for the suffering and the miserable.  Thus, they soften the heart.  Comedy and satire laugh at follies and imitate common errors in a ridiculous fashion and so are effective in warning men against such errors.  Tragedy reveals the wickedness of men and women and reveals the uncertainty of life.  Lyric hymns praise God and Men and thus, enkindle virtue and courage.  The Epics present the pictures of heroic men and heroic action.  Thus, he argues and proves that there is no any evil in any of these kinds of poetry.

          The aim of poetry is accomplished by teaching most delightfully a notable morality.  Since the object of all arts and sciences is to lift human life to the highest altitudes of perfection, in a way they are all servants of poetry.  The philosopher teaches virtue and vices in abstract arguments where as the historian by showing them through examples and experiences of the past ages.  But, the poet gives perfect examples of vices and virtues and makes virtue succeed and vice fail in his poetry.  Thus, Sidney demonstrates the superiority of poetry over history and philosophy.

          The Senecan drama and the Aristotelian precepts were the sources of Sidney’s theory of tragedy. He follows the medieval tradition and says that tragedy should show the fall of tyrants.  He condemns modern tragedy for the incongruous mingling of the comic and tragic and the gross violation of the unities.  However, the rule of the three unities of action, place and time were not followed in England even after his strict demand. Sidney defines comedy, “as an imitation of the common error of life which are represented in the most ridiculous and scornful manner.  So, that the spectator is anxious to avoid such errors himself”.  So, he condemns contemporary farcical comedy and is in favour of a comedy of a more intellectual kind.  According to him the proper material for comedy are the weaknesses, follies and foibles of mankind of a harmless kind.  Thus, he considers comedy a weapon of social reform.

          Sidney is unique as a critic.  He is judicial, creative and original.  He inaugurated a new era in the history of English literary criticism.  His practical criticism is an illuminating piece of literary criticism.  Doubtless, his treatise is a landmark in the history of English criticism in England.  So, more truly than Dryden he is the father of literary criticism in England.

------Thulasidharan V