Reading Plato: Poetry in Philosopher’s Views

Abstract

This paper aims to analytically study Plato’s diagnostic discussion of poetry and present the results by synthetically reading the relevant dialogues appeared in The Republic, Book Two, Three, and Ten. The hermeneutic approach employed in the study is to discuss several disputed issues between poetry (including rhetoric) and philosophy. The finding is exposed with analytic description. The study finds out that Plato’s critique of the influence of poetry is imputable to his reflection on a philosopher’s attempt (through Socrates’s voice) to handle with the Athenian culture of reality-inconsiderate appreciation given to poets at that time. To him, poets are imitators/creators of reality, conveying what is believed to be true to the public using the theory of Form and the schema connecting together an idea, artefact, and the imitator. Instead of getting disapproved, this phenomenon impressed them. Therefore, the poets must be conditionally banished out of the “city in speech”. As they know not nor they recognize the essence of reality and philosophical arrangement the moment their rhetorical exchange takes place. However, between philosophy and poetry, there is no complete difference. To remain neither active nor convinced is the advice of Socrates for philosophers to handle with poets who brag their realization of the truth.