This is s summary of a research paper on Sir Philip Sidney's Defense of Poesy

1. Megan D. Casilla
Classical Literary
History: An Aid to Sir
Philip Sidney's
Defense in
'An Apology for

2. An analytic
overview of the
value of the
classics as
presented in An
Apology for
Poetry of Sir
Philip Sidney in
defending
poetry.

3. How is classical History
presented in An
Apology for Poetry?
What lies in the
classical history
affecting the text?
Who are the classics or
the ancients with whom
the author based his
arguments from? And
how?

5. Sir Philip Sidney (1554-1586)
• First of the great English Poets
• He wrote ‘An Apology for Poetry’ in
response to Stephen Gossen’s
‘School of Abuse’ which attacked
poetry.
• Neoclassical writer
• Soldier and Courtier to Queen
Elizabeth

6. An Apology for Poetry
• Defence of Poesy
• Critical Essay
• Written at about 1579, published on
1595
• This was written not only to defend
Poetry from what Stephen Gossen
says but also to generally defend
Poetry to everyone.

7. The research on the classical history
found in the text is fueled by the urge to
establish a wider scope of knowledge
presented by Sir Philip Sidney in his text.
This text is vital in the field of Literary
Criticism and to break down the factors
affecting the making of this text would as
well be helpful in understanding the
content of the text.

8. Historical-Biographical Criticism
• An Apology incorporated most of its
ideas from three classics or ancients:
• Plato
• Aristotle
• Horace
• He also included contemporary ways
to defend poetry through religion
and Philosophy

9. Plato
• Wrote his series of texts entitled,
‘Republic’
• Theory of Forms and Ideas
• Mimetic Theory
• Deceitfulness of Poetry
• Poetry as waste of time
• Should be Banned

10. Aristotle
• Wrote ‘Poetics’
• Mimetic Theory
• True imitation of what is
reality in this world
• Nature
• Tragedy

11. Horace
• Wrote ‘Ars Poetica’
• Ars Poetica is more like a plea
to take Poetry seriously
• Drama
• Poetic Unity and Simplicity
• Delce et utile

12. Additional Arguments
•
•
•
•
•
•
Poetry is an Educator
The Ideal aim of Poetry
Morality introduced by Poetry
Poetic Culture
Christianity
Monarch of Education and
Philosophy
• Speaking Picture of Poetry