BBL 3103 LITERARY THEORY FROM PLATO TO T. S. ELIOT DR. IDA BAIZURA BAHAR

01 H ORACE Poet Quintus Horatius Flaccus, known in the English- speaking world as Horace, was the leading Roman lyric poet during the time of Augustus. Born: December 8, 65 BC, Venosa Died: November 27, 8 BC, Rome Full name: Quintus Horatius Flaccus

01 H ORACE i. About Centre of literary activity shifted from Alexandria to Rome Golden age: Virgil, Ovid, Tribulles, Horace > Court/royal patronage of the arts > Era of peace > nationalism: Rome wanted to equal literary achievements of Greece > bad writers: upsurge of critical activity to keep them in check > good writers: encouraged critical activity (e.g.: Horace) Self-conscious revival of Greek classicism > the use of poetry > definable beauty

02 A RS P OETICA i. About Equalled Aristotle’s Poetics in terms of influence during the Renaissance In the form of an epistle, a how-to guide for composing poetry for Pisos, a young aspiring poet In simplistic terms, Horace took Aristotle’s (largely) descriptive tenets of poetry and made them prescriptive Persistent theme throughout: decorum (def. propriety) The subject matter of Ars Poetica can be split into 3: poesis poema, poeta

02 A RS P OETICA ii. Poesis (content) Poem must have organic unity > Content cannot lapse into absurdity > Diction and metre must suit genre Poets are free to be creative and imaginative, but within reason

02 A RS P OETICA iii. Poema (form) All plotlines must be concise and logical Characters must correspond to type; verisimilitude (def: likeness to reality) Only the appropriate must be represented on stage iv. Poeta (poet) One must work hard to write poetry The source of good writing is sound judgement Poet must be keen observer of humanity Must aim for utile et dulce (useful and beautiful) profit with pleasure, instruction with delight Poetic inspiration is absurd > poetic excess should be restrained

03 L EGACY Established supremacy of Greek literature and criticism Recreation and reinterpretation of old art forms A knowledge of artistic principles, structural logic and decorum can produce aesthetic results