Poetry is

A detailed Summary of Poetry is


In what sense and how far is the genius master of his madness?

For it goes without saying that to a certain degree he is master

of it, since otherwise he would be actually a madman. For such

observations, however, ingenuity in a high degree is requisite,

and love; for to make observation upon a superior mind is very difficult.

--Kierkegaard, Fear and Trembling

Madness in great ones must not unwatch'd go.

Poetry is not inspiration. Poetry is neither reasonable, irrational, or a result of some sort of mania. Poetry is language through which the writer affects and as a result the reader is affected. Within this, one finds a cause and effect relationship. Plato, in Ion, refers to the poet as, "a light and winged and holy thing, and there is no invention in him until he has been inspired and is out of this senses, and reason is longer in him". In contrast, Aristotle contends that, "poetry implies either a happy gift of nature or a strain of madness. In one case a man can take the mould of any character; in the other, he is lifted out of his proper self" (Poetics, XVII. 2). Longinus adds that, "Truly beautiful words are the very light of thought" (On The Sublime, XXX. 63), and "litera


The poet knows that he speaks adequately then only when he speaks somewhat wildly...with the intellect released from all service and suffered to take its direction from its celestial life...This is the reason why bards love wine, mead, narcotics, coffee, tea, opium, the fumes of sandalwood and tobacco...(The Poet, 563)

ry composition...sets in motion manifold ideas of words, thoughts, actions, beauty, and melody, all of them produced and nourished within us...the emotion of the speaker is introduced into the spirits of those who listen and...at once charm us and dispose us for the majestic...But it appears madness to raise a question on matters thus agreed on, for experience seems a sufficient test" (On The Sublime, XXXIX. 83). Reason and madness in poetry are relative to the listener. I will examine the responses of Plato, Aristotle, and Longinus to poetry and its relation to reason and the irrational. In addition, I will relate some of my own views on the topic.



Some common words found in the essay are:
Poetics XXIV, Ch XV, Republic Book, Longinus Emerson, Plato Ion, Waldo Emerson, Ironically Plato, Sublime XXX, Aristotle Longinus, IX Denial, course kit, poetics course, introduction poetics course, poetics course kit, introduction poetics, plato aristotle longinus, xxiv 10, reason irrational, poetics xxiv, madness poetry, aristotle longinus, poetics xxiv 10, plato aristotle, madness irrational,

Approximate Word count = 1585
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Miscellaneous

join now Save Paper

Related Essays

  • Poetry Poetry records and embodies centuries of human thought and emotion, preserving for us the minds of people who lived before us, who were like and unlike us ... 1155 words
  • poetry Question: ampquotDepending on the language used, poetry either delights the senses or fills one with despairampquot. Discuss. Poetry is an art ... 1167 words
  • Poetry ... they are doing. I wrote this poem, from the poetry unit. The pressure ... that teenagers face. I wrote this poem, from the poetry unit. I do ... 1014 words
  • What is Poetry Poetry is one of the most powerful ways to convey an idea or opinion. Through vivid imagery and compelling metaphors as well as ... 1707 words
  • Poetry and definition, ampquotPoetry is to Prose as dancing is to walking.ampquot Poetry is simply defined by the Websteramp39s Dictionary as ampquotMetrical writingampquot, or ampquotComposition in verseampquot. ... 511 words
  • Poetry ... ScottyAM. On this morningamp39s show we have Australian Poetry. ... poems. Luke.ampquot ampquotThanks Scottyampquot Australian poetry is full of meaning and passion. ... 935 words

Professional Essays

  • Poetry GREAT POETRY Women Poets The aim of great poetry is to enlighten and to enrich our lives. Great poetry allows the reader to ... 731 words
  • Poetry Poetry Comparison ampamp Contrast Thesis The poems Women, Marks, and Woman by Bogan, Pastan and Giovanni respectively all deal with the limitations of being a woman ... 727 words
  • Audre on Poetry The title of Audre Lordeamp39s essay ampquotPoetry Is Not a Luxuryampquot implies that there is an argument over the issue and that many see poetry as a luxury. ... 533 words
  • Images in Poetry DH Lawrence, HD, and Ezra Pound each seek to instill literary values in their work by creating a clear and forceful image that can become a symbol of something ... 726 words
  • Value of Poetry ... This research examines the role of poetry in facilitating creative management techniques in the public as well as the private sector. ... 992 words
  • How Poetry is Created How poetry is created and how the creation is experienced are related but distinct aspects of the poetic enterprise. Aristotle expects ... 1514 words


Saved Paper

Save your papers so you can locate them quickly!

Newest Essays

Testimonials

  • "Thank You So Much!!! You have saved me once again!!!"
    Jack M.
  • "With so many papers to chose from, I was able to get ideas to help me with all of my classes. Thank You!"
    Brian P.
  • "I've used this site for the last 3 years to help me come up with ideas for my papers."
    Sara J.
  • "I use this site every week to help me write my own papers!"
    Rachel W.
  • "I love this site!!!"
    Marie N.
Home Join Now Support
Acceptable Use Policy About us FAQ
All papers are for research and reference purposes only!
© 2002-2009 DirectEssays.com. All Rights Reserved.