Plato's Criticism of Art in Classical Period

Plato's Critical Views on Art and Poetry

• Plato's views on art and poetry are closely tied to his Theory of Ideas, which posits that ideas are the ultimate reality.
• According to Plato, things are conceived as ideas before they take practical shape as things.

Criticism of Art

• Plato views art as useless, as it adds neither knowledge nor intellectual value.
• Art is seen as deceptive and potentially dangerous, sometimes teaching immoral lessons.

Criticism of Poetry

• Poetry is considered twice removed from reality, making men believe in imperfection.
• Poets are inspired suddenly, which cannot be truthful, and poetry fails the test of reason.
• Poetry affects emotions, not reason, and appeals to the heart, not the intellect.
• Emotions are temporary and cannot be safe guides to men.
• Poetry is non-moral in character, treating both virtue and vice alike, and corrupting human beings.

Criticism of Drama

• Drama is a branch of poetry, and its approval and disapproval depend on the audience.
• Dramatists use cheap techniques like quarrels, lamentations, thunder, and sounds of animals to convince the audience, which are shameful in normal life.
• Audience members who watch characters who are cowards, knaves, and criminals tend to become one such character, losing their individuality.
• Such characters should not be present in a play; a play should have good characters.
• Plato is against the pleasure that tragedy and comedy give, as they exploit human emotions like anger, fear, and grief for pleasure.
• In comedy, people laugh at cowardly or criminal characters, who should be pitied, not laughed at.

Plato's Critical Views on Art and Poetry

• Plato's views on art and poetry are closely tied to his Theory of Ideas, which posits that ideas are the ultimate reality.
• According to Plato, things are conceived as ideas before they take practical shape as things.

Criticism of Art

• Plato views art as useless, as it adds neither knowledge nor intellectual value.
• Art is seen as deceptive and potentially dangerous, sometimes teaching immoral lessons.

Criticism of Poetry

• Poetry is considered twice removed from reality, making men believe in imperfection.
• Poets are inspired suddenly, which cannot be truthful, and poetry fails the test of reason.
• Poetry affects emotions, not reason, and appeals to the heart, not the intellect.
• Emotions are temporary and cannot be safe guides to men.
• Poetry is non-moral in character, treating both virtue and vice alike, and corrupting human beings.

Criticism of Drama

• Drama is a branch of poetry, and its approval and disapproval depend on the audience.
• Dramatists use cheap techniques like quarrels, lamentations, thunder, and sounds of animals to convince the audience, which are shameful in normal life.
• Audience members who watch characters who are cowards, knaves, and criminals tend to become one such character, losing their individuality.
• Such characters should not be present in a play; a play should have good characters.
• Plato is against the pleasure that tragedy and comedy give, as they exploit human emotions like anger, fear, and grief for pleasure.
• In comedy, people laugh at cowardly or criminal characters, who should be pitied, not laughed at.

This quiz explores Plato's critical views on art, its role in society, and its relation to his Theory of Ideas, as discussed in The Republic.