DSC 301 Plato's Republic. Book X. (1) 26,
Literary Criticism begins with Plato's Republic. He was born in . Socrates was his teacher. He became attracted towards Philosophy and Mathematics. In 487 BC he made his own Academy and taught ther Philosophy, Mathematics, Natural Science, etc. People around him revered immensely. Education was not in vogue then. It was mainly Homer who was taught in schools and treated Homer's works to Bible. Common people failed to apprehend Homer. Literature had become corrupt too. Philosophers had rose above literary men. It was at such time that Plato brought his book Republic and also reiterated Philosophy above literature. These social conditioning and the birth of Plato's books gave rise to systematic literary criticism.
Book X of Republic consists Plato's Theory on art and illusion snd views on poetry which are in 3 parts: Inspiration, Imitation, and Condemnation of poetry.
To him, poetry is immoral, emotional and intellectual. Poets lie about God. They show human weaknesses in God too which is witnessed in Homer's Odyssey and . So to him, poetry is not a suitable subject of study unlike proper Philosophy. As emotional critique, poets lack creativity or they are also always blurry. They cant self explain or give varied interpretations. Copying one drama after another, one poem after another which have no value.
He divides the soul into three parts. First is the rational followed by Spirited and Desirous. Desirous is non rational (drama, etc) and the lowest part for pleasure. Pity and fear should remain under control but tragedy encourages these.
His emotional criticism says that the poet no knowledge of truth. Illusions are related to the poet only and just copy. Poets msy be honoured but syllabise in schools and keep them away from the Ideal state.
According to Plato, a poet's first requires inspiration which are availed by him through his senses. Without inspiration a poet is powerless. The inspiration is divine. Poetry is no craft but the result of inspiration. It is irrational. He gives the example of painting which is just copying by the painter which is of no use. A poet is similar to a painter which shows their lack of knowledge.
Achievements: This has been divided by him in two parts. They are Fine Arts (poetry, painting, music) and Useful Art (medicine, agriculture).
He was the first who could realise the mysterious poetry of poetry. As time went on, his own student Aristotle and others kept on examining him from time to time. But whatever he critiqued was as per the requirements of his age. To Aristotle, poetry was entertaining and useful too. Human life was Plato's target who was an idealist and Aristotle who was a realist understood human knowledge.