5 Questions
Who does Sir Philip Sidney criticize for seeking to deface poetry?
He criticizes those who profess learning and inveigh against poetry.
According to Sir Philip Sidney, what is the role of poetry in educating people?
The role of poetry is to be the first lightgiver to ignorance and the first nurse, enabling people to feed on tougher knowledge afterwards.
Which three poets does Sir Philip Sidney mention as the first writers in Greece?
Musæus, Homer, and Hesiod.
What skill did the writers Orpheus and Linus possess according to Sir Philip Sidney?
They possessed the skill of making pens deliver knowledge to their posterity, and they were the first of their country to do so.
What metaphor does Sir Philip Sidney use to describe the impact of poetry on people's minds?
He uses the metaphor of Amphion moving stones with his poetry to build Thebes, and Orpheus being listened to by beasts, to illustrate the charming sweetness of poetry drawing people to an admiration of knowledge.
Study Notes
Sir Philip Sidney's Critique of Poetry
- Sir Philip Sidney criticizes the puritans for seeking to deface poetry.
The Role of Poetry in Education
- According to Sir Philip Sidney, poetry plays a crucial role in educating people.
The First Poets in Greece
- Sir Philip Sidney mentions Homer, Pindar, and Sophocles as the first writers of poetry in Greece.
The Skill of Orpheus and Linus
- According to Sir Philip Sidney, Orpheus and Linus, the writers of ancient Greece, possessed the skill of music.
The Impact of Poetry on People's Minds
- Sir Philip Sidney uses the metaphor of a "medicine" to describe the impact of poetry on people's minds, suggesting that poetry has a healing and transformative effect.
Test your knowledge of Sir Phillip Sidney's 'The Defense of Poesy' with this quiz. Explore the arguments presented in the text and see how well you understand the poet's perspective on poetry, history, and philosophy.
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