An Analysis Of Sidney's The Defense Of Poesy

Hannah Weinberg

March 30th, 2016

ENG 252

The Defense of Poesy: An Art Form and Imagination

Sidney’s The Defense of Poesy is considered a great Elizabethan literary criticism. It illustrates a vivid defense of fiction against its critics and creates a lasting impression on how we view literature in today’s world. “Poesy” or poetry is about fiction and Sidney’s defense is about the separation of fiction and song before the Enlightenment. Sidney’s argument is that poesy is an art form created for educating and showing audiences the world of creativity and imagination that is different than historical and philosophical works. Sidney begins with standing firm in favor of poesy. He starts by arguing that stories and music exist all across the

Poesy can stir up passion amongst audiences in the sense of drawing out any evil aspects of an individual’s soul. However, Sidney also points out that poesy can be manipulated to one’s needs, as such that poesy “… may not only be abused, but that being abused, by the reason of his sweet charming force, it can do more hurt than any other army of words, yet shall it be so far from concluding that the abuse should give reproach to the abused,” (64). What Sidney could be implying is that poesy is very much a double-edged sword, having both the benefits of healing and also harming the masses. It is very dependent on how the works are produced and how the poet himself decides to utilize his

His admiration for great artists can be seen through his appreciation as art and poetry as forms of entertainment, beauty, and education. We revere artists in a similar manner as Sidney does—placing them on high pedestals as we analyze and dissect their works. In other words, it is a form of critique that simultaneously expresses our respect and appreciation for art. Much like illustrations, stories can be faulty with wording and over-the-top speeches. Since stories do not follow historical facts, the writer may not properly express certain ideologies and thus miscommunication occurs. Sidney addresses this issue when he discusses the laws of poesy and its connection to tragedies, as such “…many things may be told which cannot be showed,—if they know the difference betwixt reporting and representing,” (77). What it seems that Sidney is trying to explain is that some stories can only be told through tales instead of painted on a canvas, but the artist must be skilled enough in order to present their morals. In other words, if a person were to just report what they saw in a walk through the forest, it would not be the same as a representation, rather just a mere report. A representation is more befitting as a means of educating the masses because it broadens the imagination and thus creates more