Plato, Aristotle &amp; the Dialectics of Poetry

Bikash Sharma Bikash Sharma

doi:10.31149/ijie.v3i9.582

Abstract

The present paper attempts at estimating the legacy of two of the seminal philosophical minds, Plato and Aristotle. Their ideas have been so instrumental in shaping western critical literary tradition that any discussion on literary theory and criticism has to have them as a point of reference. Plato’s negative conception of mimesis is juxtaposed with Aristotle’s affirmative stand. The paper also examines the various philosophical and pragmatic charges labelled against poetry by Plato in his works such as Republic, Phaedrus and Ion. The paper concludes with a general overview of critical responses to Plato by succeeding men of letters.

Highlights

The process of poetic creation has since long been a matter of constant debate in the literary theoretical circle
Any diachronic investigation on literary theory is inevitably concerned with questions relating to the moral and social agency of art
The earliest discussions on the ontological essence and epistemological dimensions of art is inexorably linked to poetry

Summary

INTRODUCTION

The process of poetic creation has since long been a matter of constant debate in the literary theoretical circle. Much of Plato’s negative conception of mimesis stems from his Theory of Forms He believed in the existence of a parallel universe, different from the physical world we live in. Since poets write about objects and ideas from the physical world, which are themselves an imitation of their forms in the unchanging ideal world of being, poetry is twice removed from the world of forms – twice removed from reality This being-becoming dichotomy is at the very heart of Plato’s dialectics. Plato’s negative conception of poetry is apparent in book X of his Republic It is where he propounds his famous theory of forms which raises questions on the moral agency of poetry. E-ISSN : 2620 3502 p-ISSN : 2615 3785 pertinent questions on the social function of poetry In his Phaedrus Plato anticipates Freudian notion of the tripartite nature of the human psyche. He consummates this idea by giving a beautiful and illustrative metaphorical parallel

MAIN PART

ANALYSES

DISCUSSIONS

CONCLUSIONS