Plato

Plato: First Critic

In all spheres of literary activities that task of beginner is always complex. The follower one has a foundation stone. Plato (427-348 BCE) produced a theory of literature that reveals his deep love for truth and an appreciation for literature's spiritual dimensions.. Plato is particularly the first foundational critic of literature and as such he has no predecessor. He has to start with clean slate. He has inquired into the nature of imaginative literature and put forward theories - both illuminating and provocative. Besides he was a poet. He loved epics and his writings adorned with attractive quotations of Homer; he was a great philosopher too. In the words of Atkins, Plato was: “...one of the greatest of critics, in the truest sense a light-bringer, ever guiding men’s steps to the spiritual side of art.”

In the sphere of criticism, he has contributed two main theories:

1. Theory of Inspiration: Controversial theory about poetry

2. Theory of Mimesis

 The following is the detailed discussion nof these two theories.

1. Theory of Inspiation:

Plato emphatically believes that all good poets write their poetry under the spell of inspiration endowed by the Muse. Poets are unable to write poetry; they are simply instrument of divine Muse.  In Ion we find very good example to understand this theory. This is such:

“ the gift you possess…is not an art… but an inspiration. This is divinity…the thing you like contains a stone - a magnet. This stone not only attract iron rings but also imparts to them the power of attracting other things. Sometimes you may see a number of pieces of iron things suspended from one another so as form quite a long chain. And all of them derive their power of suspension from the original stone.”

In the same way Plato says, “ the Muse first of all inspires men herself, and from these inspired persons, a chain of other persons is suspended who take the inspiration from them. All good poets create their beautiful poems not by art because they are inspired and possessed.”

2. Theory of Imitation (Mimesis):

The word Mimesis is derived from Greek means imitation, imitation of voice or gestures of others. Plato uses it in wider terms. This term is still used in psychology. The theory is very simple. No one created this world but almighty. What we see is an imitation. A natural object is conceived by an artist - poet, painter, and sculptor. The conception is photographed in his mind, he adds his intuition, and has a picture before him. It is the situation is similar to expressionism. Then comes the problem of communication or expression through the medium. This medium may be words, colours or stones etc. The creation of God is the first step, the conception is the second and the medium is the third. Thus the picture may be removed twice, thrice  and so on from the truth. “ The only business worthy of man’s mind is his concern with reality. “

His objections to poetry:

Plato opposes literature and poetry. His main objections are:

1. It is immoral.

2. It is based on falsehood.

3. It deals in illusion.

The oft quoted word ‘imitation of an  imitation’ or ‘appreance of an appearance’ or ‘copy of the copy’ requires some clarification. The illustration of chair is well known. The carpenter, conceives the chair. The chair he makes is his conception and not real chair. It is once removed from reality. Then the painter paints a picture of chair. This is twice removed from truth. A poet writes a poem. He appeals to the ear and the eye. He produces not a reality but a copy. This is thrice removed from reality. Another illustration may be taken. Laocoon, the legend is conception. The statue is once removed from truth. The poet or the picture or photograph of the statue is twice removed from truth. The lesson in a class based the statue is thrice or four times removed from the truth. The analogy can be carried further. It is said that the artist's creation is less than reality but it is something more than reality too.

 Plato's objection to poetry may be discussed under three heads:

1. Educational view point

2. Philosophical view point

3. Moral view point

In his book, Republic (book two) he discusses  education of a good citizen. He condemns poetry as fostering evil habits and vices in children. He writes:

"If we mean our future guardians to regard the habit of quarrelling among themselves, as of all things the bases, we should not said to them of the war in heaven."

So epic should not teach. According to him poets are liars. He looks for moral values in poetry. He strongly believed that the revengeful and lustful heroes of epic affects badly on children's mind, because their minds are too soft to be poisoned easily.

In Book Ten he attacks Poetry from the ground of  philosophy. Poetry does not help in the realisation of ultimate reality. He says that our world is illusion. It is merely a shadow of the real world of heavenly ideas which are external art imitable. It appears real because it recites in Almighty. When a painter or a poet tries to reproduce in his painting or poetry, he is imitating an imitation- a copy of copy. So poetry is a pack of lies. Thus the artist gives something less than reality. But he fails to understand that the artist can give something more than reality too. The transposed self of an artist is an addition to the original.

In the same Book he attacks poetry from moral point of view. Whatever encourages and strengthens the emotional part is bad. He says, "Poetry feeds and waters passion instead of drying them up; she let them rule". So epic should go. Tragedy and comedy should go. “ If we permitted poetry at all, it must be confined to hymns to God  and verse to praise noble persons”.

Critique:

Critics do not agree with Platonic charges against poetry. In our age, education is a term for improving the head, the heart and the hand. Emotions are considered very important for education. But Plato considered them as the most worthless part of soul. Had he been alive today, he would not have done so? Secondly, modern people think that the poet writes for his joy. Reader may, if he wishes, learn any lesson or moral from it. It is not his business to teach. Though Plato falls into error, we should not blame him. Because after all man is the product of his race, milieu and moment.

However, his theories of inspiration and imitation are not fully agreeble, he remains as our first great philosopher of arts. His findings about the nature of imaginative literature are valid even today. He has given some important starting points.

1. According to Wimsatt and Brooks, in Ion Plato has drawn our attention towards two principles:

         A. To write poetry is one thing and to give a rationale to poetry is another thing.

         B. Poetry is not concerned with making scientific statement

2. He is the first man, who indirectly shows that the poetry derives its subjects from life itself and from the world. Poet may combine his subject with his imagination and creates something new. But he never creates such things which are not observed or seen.

3. And it is none but Plato, who for the first time, discovered that all fine arts have common aims, although they employ different media. For the first time he finds out a certain commonality between all fine arts.

Though his conclusions may seem restrictive, Plato’s critical inquiries opened the door for richer debates, challenging poets and critics to defend the value and purpose of art. His legacy as a "light-bringer" continues to inspire the study of literature and its profound connections to truth and morality.

Thus, though he failed in appreciating poetry properly, he finds certain fundamental functions of poetry for which the field of poetry is very much indebted to him.