Part2: Plato's Arguments Against Poetry

In the part1, we have seen that Plato does not favour poetry because he thinks that poetry is away from reality.

Let's see his other arguments how he disqualifies poetry.

Poetic Inspiration

Plato thinks that poetry is something which can be written when muse fills someone's heart. This is something which is impulsive. The emotions come for a moment and let poet writes. Poetry cannot take the place of philosophy. Philosophy is something which is deliberate and logical too. It includes contemplation unlike poetry.

Emotional appeal

Plato does not think that emotions can be taken granted. Emotions come for a moment. For example, if you are angry then you cannot think properly what you should do. But when you think about it in terms of philosophical investigation, the results cannot be obscure. Emotions are not the safe guide as logics.

Plato in Republic complains that emotions are not fine thing because if we think about other's emotions and get emotional, then how will we restrain ourselves if it is our case.Poetry feeds and waters the passion, instead of drying them up.

Non - moral character

He further adds that poetry is non moral in character because sometimes we see that the good person is not happy and the evil doers are living luxurious life. Literature does not  emphasise the moral character. In the tragedies of Aeschylus, epics of Homer, and narrative works of Hesoid, we often find that good people suffer. In this way literature corrupts citizen.

Plato does not like poetry because it only pleases. It is devoid of moral character and it strengthens passion and incites emotional instincts of human beings.

Plato's arguments for drama

Drama means, dialogues and action on stage. When one copies the villainous character, one copies the baser instincts too. Hence, it makes people corrupt. Impersonation leads to develop the baser quality in the actor. Let's say if you have to play the role of Ravana, you have to think and act like him. This impersonation will have a significant impact on your character.

He questions about tragic and comic pleasure too. Tragic pleasure means one does feel good while watching tragedy of others, which kind of pleasure is this? Or the pleasure when we see wise behaving like fool, a cheat as an honest man, such kind of pleasure shows that we just laugh at weaknesses of our fellow men. This is not humane to laugh at someone's weakness.

In Book X of Republic, he states that poets should be banished from the ideal society.

In the next section of literary criticism we will see how other critics after Plato present logical reasoning to disqualify his arguments.