Sidney may be regarded as the first dramatic critic. 

  1. He wrote Defense of Poesy and An Apology for Poetry. 
  2. He defined poetry as, “Poetry is an art of imitation”.
  3. Sidney introduced Aristotelianism view e.g. "Poetry is an art of imitation".
  4. He defends Poetry as saying; 

    • It is the oldest and earliest form of composition 
    • It has been first light given to ignorance 
    • It has helped people to learn more difficult languages ideas and thoughts 
    • It is the earliest form of writing 
    • It is superior to other branches of learning 
    • It beings together Romanticism and Classicism.

Kinds of Poetry

According to him;

  • Religious poetry 
  • Philosophical and moral poetry 
  • Right kind of poetry (it means an imaginative treatment of life and nature). 

Subdivision of Right kind of Poetry 

1. The Pastoral:

It shows;  

  • The misery of the poor under hard Lords or greedy soldiers  
  • How much good can be done on poor by the rich  

His result: This kind of poetry does no harm. 

 

2. The Elegiac; The Iambic; The Satiric:

These kinds of poetry represents;

  • The weakness of mankind 
  • The wretchedness of the world 
  • The pity for sufferings  

His result: They are conducive to goodness.


3. The Comic:

It presents;

  • The imitation of common errors of our life in the most ridiculous and scornful way.

His result: it teaches men by showing the absurdities of others.

 

4. Tragedy:

It arouse hatred for tyranny.

His result: It teaches us Noble lessons. 

 

5. The Lyric: 

  • It praises virtuous acts.
  • It sings of moral percepts and natural problems. 
  • It praises of immortal God.

His result: Lyric is capable of arousing men from their lethargy and inspiring them to embrace war like and Noble deeds.

 

6. The Heroic or Epic:  

  • It praises the life and action of the Noble heroes.
  • It moves or teaches the high and excellent truth. 
  • It presents virtue out of darkness. 

His result: By presenting Noble examples, it inspires men to do Noble deeds.

 

The Status of Poet, According to him: 

  • The poet is peerless and performs the function of both philosopher and historian.
  • He moves the heart and soul.
  • He is monarch of Sciences.
  • He shows the way to goodness.
  • He gives a sweet appearance to the way that we should follow.
  • He writes in delightful order which can easily be sing.
  • His purpose is to move the mind from wickedness to virtue.

The defense of poetry was written in reply to the charges made against poetry by Puritans like Steven Gossoon.  

For Charges against Poetry: 

  • Poetry is waste of time.
  • The poets are liars.
  • Poetry abuses Men’s wit and makes them corrupt and lustful.
  • Plato condemned poetry.

Sidney’s Reply: 

  • Poetry teaches us virtue.
  • Poet is least liar as he writes allegorically and figuratively.
  • In fact men's wit abuses poetry.
  • In fact Plato condemned the abuse of poetry.