Category: Writers Block
Masterpieces of fiction is written for some reason or purpose, if not for multiple
reasons. Sir Phillip Sidney wrote an essay titled appology for poetry, which
defends poetry and fiction n also known as poesy He maintains that the main
reasons that poets and writers create their work is to create “hey speaking
picture–with this and, to teach and delight” (620). Twelfth knight is a play in the
form of a poem by William Shakespeare, and this is a great example of a piece
of fiction that teaches and delights. In the fifth act of the play, both elements
especially blatant and present because the delight comes in the courtliness and
cleverness, whilst the confusion and asumptions that people have made serves
to teach.
In Sidney’s essay, he first makes a claim to defend poetry. He then points
out that without writing one would not have even philosophy or history, which is
evident in philosophy as the first philosophers wrote in verses, and, in countries
with little else there is poetry, such as “even among the most barbarous and
simple Indians were no writing is yet have they their poets” (617).He then
describes what each ancient culture calls their poets, and artistic terms and
informs us of the nature of these terms. He argues that every other profession
only adds to nature, but only the writers of fictions and poets “lifted up with the
rigor of his own invention, Doth grow in effect another nature, in making things
either better than nature bringeth forth” (619), which is even idealistic, which is
to aid in teaching and delighting. Sidney deems there are three poets, the first
that imitates the devine, the second the philosophical, which is so involved with
that it is sometimes difficult to see the art in their writings, and the third, the
true form of fiction, which can be further devided, but these matter little, as
what unifies them is that teaching and delighting. The historians are too
practical is not flexible, and speak only of the past. The philosophers too lofty,
too abstract, more about the ideas, does not appeal to their audience, and
difficult to understand. The fiction writers and poets can do what neither can,
and does what both can do in art. He goes over the different types of writings
and how they serve. Then He addresses the haters of verses and speaks about
how carefully written and beautiful they are. Some claims that better things
could be more productive, which he denies, and some others say he lies, which
he justifies by saying the poets are not lying . because as sidney says they
“never give the lie to things not affirmatively but allegorically and figureatively
written” (635Others say he is abusing the wit, which he replies that he’s not one
of them, and to feel sorry for the abused. Some say that poetry takes away
action, because they got too imaginative, but that’s really against all knowledge.
In fact the warriors and people who enjoyed action more was the ones who
prefered poetry. Plato did not hate poetry, he who seemed to some to hate it
was only criticizing the abuse of the Gods that were in the poetry. He describes
that England is the least appreciative of fiction or poetry, and also described the
attitudes of writers and readers. He then uses the last section to talk about the
poetry or fiction can be unsophistically written such as misuse of language or
elements. William Shakespeare’s play Twelfth night is a great example of what
Sidney would deem as good poesy.
Throughout the first four scenes of Twelfth night, everyone is assuming
something, as we are always doing so in life. Hence, this comedy created by
Shakespeare “according to Sidney is an imitation of the common errors of our
life, which he representeth in the most ridiculous and scornful sort that may be,
so as it is impossible that any beholder can be content to be such a one” (630).
For example, two twins who thought the other was dead, and Viola who is one
of the twins is dressed up as a male youth to serve the Duke in his court. Viola
Assumed Sabastian as dead did not consider the complications that may occur if
he was to appear. As they looked similar and since both appeared as male
everyone assumed they were the same person. a comical moment came about
when Olivia who had married sebastian, who was very confused, but promised
to wed her, encountered Viola, who from the beginning was not interested in
olivia, commanded viola also known as to stay, and confronted Viola by saying
“you do not keep promise with me” (scene 5 l. 104). This is a comical moment
because olivia has these confused asumptions which makes her confused and
tries to make Viola love her, who she thought already did. Assumptions in one’s
life are normal, but assuming something can sometimes result in embarrassing
awkward moments, and Shakespeare uses this fictional example in a sense to
model natural human asumptions to draw the reader’s or viewers attention to
an embarrassing situation due to these assumptions through similar
experiences. According to sidney this can be a tool to teach because “as with
hearing it we get as it were an experience what is to be looked for” (630).
Another example of human assumptions is when Sir Andrew enters the fray and
makes the confusing situation more valid. Healso thinks that what sebastian
was responsible for was done by Viola known to all of them as Cesario. Sir Toby
encouraged Sir Andrew to fight with Viola, who leaves unscathed do to Olivia,
When she and Viola left, sebastian enters and everyone mistook him for Viola.
Since Viola who was actually Sebastian was alone, Sir Andrew was a bit more
bold and due to some words they started to fight, which resulted in Injuries on
the part of Sir Andrew and Sir Toby. Thus Sir Andrew comes in and proclaims,
“the count’s gentleman, one cesario. We took: him for a coward, but he’s the
very devil incarnate” (sceen 5 l.l. 190-192). This caused a very bitter response
from Viola who truly didn’t mean to fight, and would not hurt anyone or fight.
She was wounded by such comments. This is a confusing but a sort of comical
situation because by Sir Andrew’s and Sir Toby’s assumption, scene they
caused, and the state they were in has caused pain and wounds. Shakespeare
uses this moment to help us realize the times when our assumptions might be
hurtful, and the lasting injuries that our assumptions can have on others, in a
more dramatic and comical way as this tale is according to sidney “feigned may
be tuned to the highest key as passion” (226)..
Another example of a comical moment is when both twins both appear in
one place, there’s mass confusion. Amongst other things said, antonio asks
“how have you made division of yourself? And Apple cleft in to is not more twin:
then these two creatures. Which is Sebastian?” (scene 5, l.l. 233-235). This
example shows if not hurt or embarrassment the least assumptions can do is to
cause mass comical confusion. According to this way this scene also helps “men
learn the evil by seeing it so set out” (631). Not only does Shakespeare make
comedy in his play to teach, but also he delights the readers. .
There is also examples of moments where readers can delight in the actions
of the character. An example is Viola when Olivia tries to fetch her, she
gracefully response dutifully and responsibly, “my Lord would speak; my duty
hushes me” (scene 5, l. 108). This delights as well because it’s graceful and it
shows that she understands her duty and ultimately is faithful to it and does not
run off to marry or court whoever she would desire since she is the Duke
Orsino’s messenger boy, which we as readers/viewers are suppose to learn
from. . Yet another example of delight that the audience experiences is how
shakespeare shows us and teaches us the grace and gentleness that one can
entangle themselves from a confusing and possibly messy situation. Sebastian
who was married to Olivia because Olivia thought he was Viola and after hurting
Olivia’s kin, has an opportunity to free himself from this confusing situation. He
learns his sister was alive, and because he was disguised as a male youth,
Olivia has fallen in love with him. Thus he gracefully says, “you have been
missed took but nature to her by us through in you would have been contracted
to a maid” (scene 5, l.l. 271-273). Through this shakespeare is teaching us why
it is important to be diplomatic and polite whilst untangling oneself from messy
confusing situations through Sebastian because according to Sidney he “giveth
a perfect picture of it in someone by whom he presupposeth it was done” (223).
Another example of delighting and teaching is at the end Duke Orsino discovers
that things are not as they appear or as he assumes. The lady he’s desperate
for rejects him, and his messenger, who he thought was a male youth is actually
a lady. However, shakespeare through this is teaching us to be graceful,
because despite all of this, Duke Orsino still does. He demonstrates this by
saying to Viola, “your master quits you; and for your service done him so much
against the mettle of your sex” (scene 5, l.l. 337-339), with that he proposes
his hand to her.œ Shakespeare, according to sidney is showing us, by moving
“man to take that goodness in hand” (621). instead of taking it badly, we can
have as much dignity, joy, peace, and love as orsino does about this news.
In Twelfth Night and numerous other fiction or poetry we can see examples of
how literature can delight and teach. Through examples we learn better than
through philosophical concepts, as according to sidney, if one can see an
example of the concept in action they “should straightWaze grow, without need
of any description to a judicial comprehending of them”(224). With this we can
learn much from when we carve and write our own stories from meer fantastical
plot bunnies that we can use what we know of Sidney ), and how we see this
concepts shown to us in other works of literature, to write our own. This is
precisely why we read, to learn to be a better writer or poet by studying the
works of others whether it be a instructively informative Essay such as Sidney’s
Apology For Poetry or Twelfth Night.
Grammar check. Your subject verb agreement is atrocious.