An Apology for Poetry : Key info
An Apology for Poetry is a notable literary work by Philip Sidney. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of An Apology for Poetry.
Key info
Full Title: An Apology for Poetry
When Written: c. 1580
Where Written: England
When Published: 1595
Literary Period: Elizabethan Period; English Renaissance
Genre: Essay; Oration
Climax: Although the essay does not have a narrative climax, Sidney writes an emphatic conclusion in which he condemns poetry’s critics to oblivion.
Antagonist: The Elizabethan intellectuals who doubted the value of poetry.
Symbol: The Speaking Picture
Background: An Apology for Poetry, This literary criticism was written by the famous Elizabethan poet and critic Sir Philip Sidney. Many writers in the Elizabethan era did not look favorably on poetry. One of these critics is Stephen Gossan. He wrote a book called “The School of Abuse”. In this book, he criticizes poetry and poets. He raises four objections against the poem.
- Poetry is a waste of time
- Poetry is the mother of lies
- It is the nurse of abuse
- Plato has rightly banished the poets from his ideal state or commonwealth.
Sir Philip Sidney was a famous poet of that time. He wrote An Apology for Poetry in response to Stephen Gossan’s objections to restoring poetry to its rightful place. In this book, he answers all the slanders against Stephen Gossan’s poetry and restores poetry to its rightful place. And proved that poetry is the root of all literature