((())))))Aristotle's Criticism of Plato's Definition of Poetry((())))))
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1) “Art is an imperfect copy of an imperfect copy; twice removed from reality and so it is false”.
Aristotle View:
He says that Poetry is an imitation of not what is or has been but what might be or ought to be. He does not agree with Plato that idea has an objective existence and the world of ideas is absolute. He believes that idea is a mental abstraction born out of observation. It has no existence outside the mind of man. Aristotle declared that what exists is real. Plato used the words idea and things and Aristotle uses the word “Form” for idea. Matter is material and form is the force working within it. Aristotle believes that there can be no matter without form and vice versa. Everything of this world, whether man, tree or mountain is a combination of form and matter. Thing is not a slavish copy of the metaphysical idea but it is the combination of form and matter. We do not find an ideal thing in this world. Aristotle says that matter is obstructive and it cannot be easily moulded. It would not allow itself to be moulded into an ideal thing. There is no ideal man, women, law etc.We have pretty and ugly people. Aristotle considers that thinking to be the greatest force in man. The thinking process is the greatest process. So by thinking a poet tries to find out the ideal in each case and that is what the poets imitate. They imitate not the things but the ideal which cannot be achieved. What the poet is imitating does not exist. They imitate unrealized idea, unrealized because the force was trying to achieve but failed. They are not imitating a particular thing as Plato thought but unrealized idea that which has not happened. So the poets cannot be called copyists. A poet is a creator, what he gives is not just the things, but the imagination the reconstruction of them. So what he is conveying is not falsehood. Poetry has its own truth. Art is not a servile. It is not twice removed from reality .The artist is not an imitator but a creator. He gives a vision of unrealized things.
Aristotle View:
He says that Poetry is an imitation of not what is or has been but what might be or ought to be. He does not agree with Plato that idea has an objective existence and the world of ideas is absolute. He believes that idea is a mental abstraction born out of observation. It has no existence outside the mind of man. Aristotle declared that what exists is real. Plato used the words idea and things and Aristotle uses the word “Form” for idea. Matter is material and form is the force working within it. Aristotle believes that there can be no matter without form and vice versa. Everything of this world, whether man, tree or mountain is a combination of form and matter. Thing is not a slavish copy of the metaphysical idea but it is the combination of form and matter. We do not find an ideal thing in this world. Aristotle says that matter is obstructive and it cannot be easily moulded. It would not allow itself to be moulded into an ideal thing. There is no ideal man, women, law etc.We have pretty and ugly people. Aristotle considers that thinking to be the greatest force in man. The thinking process is the greatest process. So by thinking a poet tries to find out the ideal in each case and that is what the poets imitate. They imitate not the things but the ideal which cannot be achieved. What the poet is imitating does not exist. They imitate unrealized idea, unrealized because the force was trying to achieve but failed. They are not imitating a particular thing as Plato thought but unrealized idea that which has not happened. So the poets cannot be called copyists. A poet is a creator, what he gives is not just the things, but the imagination the reconstruction of them. So what he is conveying is not falsehood. Poetry has its own truth. Art is not a servile. It is not twice removed from reality .The artist is not an imitator but a creator. He gives a vision of unrealized things.
2) “Poetry nourishes the emotions and feelings and weakens the reason.”
Aristotle View:
Aristotle argues that poetry arouses feeling but he does not consider it to be harmful for the moral development of man. He believes that if feelings and emotions are suppressed then they become harmful for the healthy and moral development of man. He says that reason should be there but it should not the wipeout the emotions. If feelings are suppressed this creates lots of problems namely psychological and other. It leads to moral hypocrisy and all sorts of moral disorders. Poetry by exciting these emotions gives a harmful outlet, expression to these emotions and in this way the effect of poetry is not bad but it is healthy and good for the moral development of man’s personality.
Aristotle View:
Aristotle argues that poetry arouses feeling but he does not consider it to be harmful for the moral development of man. He believes that if feelings and emotions are suppressed then they become harmful for the healthy and moral development of man. He says that reason should be there but it should not the wipeout the emotions. If feelings are suppressed this creates lots of problems namely psychological and other. It leads to moral hypocrisy and all sorts of moral disorders. Poetry by exciting these emotions gives a harmful outlet, expression to these emotions and in this way the effect of poetry is not bad but it is healthy and good for the moral development of man’s personality.
3) “Art leads to the weakening of personality”.
Aristotle View:
When you watch a play or read an epic you identify yourself into a character. You think yourself to be that character and pretending to be someone else, who you are not, that leads to the weakening of personality which is harmful both morally and psychologically. Aristotle declared that for the healthy and development of man, it is necessary to forget ourselves and identify ourselves with others. We are too self –centered and selfish and oblivious (not aware) of the needs of others. Art and Literature makes us realize the needs of others. In the great dramas like Antigone, we read in the fate of Antigone, the doubtful fate of mankind. Similarly in Epic we read the fate of a man like Achilles.
Buddha had asked that, What is the root cause of all moral and psychological ailments?(sickness, illness) Buddha replied that the root cause of all moral and psychological ailments is yourself. It is I and I want this, my desires, my ambitions, I, I and I are the cause of all ailments. Yourself is your greatest enemy. The remedy Buddha suggested was the doctrine of no self. He went to the extent of declaring that the “self” the self is an illusion and has no reality. There is a beautiful story of Buddha. There was a woman and she lost her only son. It was believed that holy men perform miracles. She asked Buddha to bring her son back to life somehow or the other. He compassionately assured her to bring her son to life; if she would bring a few seeds from a house where no one ever died. But whenever she went, she was told that someone’s dear sister or husband had died. There was no house in which no had died. She hoped to find out at least one house, but when she went, she was told that death is the return of love. So she stared the thinking of sorrows of others and she forgot her own grief. She came to Buddha not to bring her son to life back but to show her the path to peace.
Aristotle View:
When you watch a play or read an epic you identify yourself into a character. You think yourself to be that character and pretending to be someone else, who you are not, that leads to the weakening of personality which is harmful both morally and psychologically. Aristotle declared that for the healthy and development of man, it is necessary to forget ourselves and identify ourselves with others. We are too self –centered and selfish and oblivious (not aware) of the needs of others. Art and Literature makes us realize the needs of others. In the great dramas like Antigone, we read in the fate of Antigone, the doubtful fate of mankind. Similarly in Epic we read the fate of a man like Achilles.
Buddha had asked that, What is the root cause of all moral and psychological ailments?(sickness, illness) Buddha replied that the root cause of all moral and psychological ailments is yourself. It is I and I want this, my desires, my ambitions, I, I and I are the cause of all ailments. Yourself is your greatest enemy. The remedy Buddha suggested was the doctrine of no self. He went to the extent of declaring that the “self” the self is an illusion and has no reality. There is a beautiful story of Buddha. There was a woman and she lost her only son. It was believed that holy men perform miracles. She asked Buddha to bring her son back to life somehow or the other. He compassionately assured her to bring her son to life; if she would bring a few seeds from a house where no one ever died. But whenever she went, she was told that someone’s dear sister or husband had died. There was no house in which no had died. She hoped to find out at least one house, but when she went, she was told that death is the return of love. So she stared the thinking of sorrows of others and she forgot her own grief. She came to Buddha not to bring her son to life back but to show her the path to peace.
4) “Poetry was not theoretical but inductive”.
He took examples of particular teachers and found faults with the moral behavior of their gods and heroes. For example in Homer , we have gods taking sides with Greek and Trojans .He said that poet impart teaching which is not morally wholesome. He concluded that poetry is bad and must be excluded. Aristotle says that the charge that Plato has leveled is not against poetry as such but against the poets. The fault is not that of poetry. If Homer is giving wrong teaching, the fault is not that poetry but of Homer. He does not argue with Plato that poet is a teacher .Similarly if Sappho in her poetry has talked of sensuous delight and indulgence in pleasure, the fault is Sappho not of poetry. It’s not the function of a poet to teach or moralize .The function of poetry is to give pleasure. Art is not subject to morality, reason or politics. To make you a pious and god-fearing is the duty of religion not the duty of poetry.
He took examples of particular teachers and found faults with the moral behavior of their gods and heroes. For example in Homer , we have gods taking sides with Greek and Trojans .He said that poet impart teaching which is not morally wholesome. He concluded that poetry is bad and must be excluded. Aristotle says that the charge that Plato has leveled is not against poetry as such but against the poets. The fault is not that of poetry. If Homer is giving wrong teaching, the fault is not that poetry but of Homer. He does not argue with Plato that poet is a teacher .Similarly if Sappho in her poetry has talked of sensuous delight and indulgence in pleasure, the fault is Sappho not of poetry. It’s not the function of a poet to teach or moralize .The function of poetry is to give pleasure. Art is not subject to morality, reason or politics. To make you a pious and god-fearing is the duty of religion not the duty of poetry.
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