Literary Theory Mid-Term April 2022

Student name: Jefferson Rodriguez Luna

Answer seven of the ten questions below, return your answers by midnight on the 4 th of
May to Richard.parker@uc.cl.
Answer with short paragraphs, 4-6 lines long with clear topic sentences / main
arguments.

Intro (Topic sentence) Development (argument)> (follow up/examples)

1. Can you connect Plato’s thoughts about poets to the society described in The
Republic?
There is no place for poets in Plato’s republic. First, because poetry is imitation —mimesis—
of an object “thrice removed from the truth” (Plato 34), Plato thought that it could not
represent real knowledge. Second, poetry “feeds and waters the passions instead of drying
them up” (Plato 37), thus separating individuals from rationality, which could lead to the
demise of his republic. To conclude, as poetry represents a hazard that does not contribute
to real knowledge, Plato concludes that to exile the poets is a necessary measure.

2. What is tragedy for Aristotle? Compare it with epic.

For Aristotle, Tragedy and Epic are similar but not the same. To begin with, tragedy is
described as imitation —mimesis, a creative act— “of a noble and complete action […]”
(Aristotle 63) represented by dramatisation, which seeks to produce “catharsis” in its public.
On the other hand, epic does imitate noble subjects too but it “uses a single meter, and its
manner of presentation is narrative” (Aristotle 62). Finally, their length is different, while
epic poetry “has no limits in regards to time” (Aristotle 62) tragedy does and tries to occur
within one day. Overall, all parts of the epic can be found in tragedy, but not the other way
around.

3. Why did Horace write Ars Poetica? Summarise the main points of the poem.
Horace wrote Ars Poetica as a piece of advice in Poetry. Subsequently, he discusses drama,
style and poetry; in the latter, he describes his approach to poetry. Although he does
consider mimesis as part of the process, for him, poetry is not mere mimesis, since poets
put part of their “own” within their works, to which an audience responds, Poetry should
then teach and delight rather than merely imitate. Finally, the concept of Decorum is
important for him, and prevalent throughout his work, comprising ideals of style “form
should fit content”, moderation, harmony and proportion in the use of language, among
many. Ars Poetica was then, a poem about poems, which seek to teach and delight.
4. What is the sublime for Longinus? Use examples.
For Longinus, the sublime is a quality within a discourse that produces an out-of-body
experience (ekstasis). The sublime is style —or rhetoric—, not persuasion but transport. As
an example of the sublime, Longinus flatters homer for his use of a deliberate mistake “he
has in the words hypek, forced into union, by a kind of unnatural compulsion, prepositions
not usually compounded” (Longinus 104) turning it into a virtue, as he “tortures” his
language to “fit in the agony of the scene”. To sum up, the sublime produces ekstasis,
achievable in many ways through the use of language.

5. Describe Dante’s use of allegory – show how it may be applied at any point in La
Commedia.
Dante’s use of allegory is based on the four case analysis. Four case analysis is composed of
four “senses” necessary for allegorical interpretation; it was intended to be used in any
vernacular text. For instance, the extract “So we went down to the second ledge alone; a
smaller circle of so much greater pain, the voice of the damned rose in a bestial moan”
(Aliguieri 1) can be interpretaded; literally “The Poets entering hell proper”, allegorically
“Great pain, turned into a kind of beauty”, morally “a warning for those who enter hell”, and
anagogically “Soul’s eternity in hell”. As a conclusion, these principles allowed for the
existence of different meanings (polysemy), and made Dante’s use of allegory remarcable,
at the least.

6. Was Christine de Pizan a Feminist? Illustrate your point with reference to the text.
De Pizan is not a feminist in the modern sense of the word. While she did criticise the
misogyny of the time and advocate for the education of women, she did not question the
roles assigned to women by men —and Christian values—. For instance, Rectitude says that
“In the world there circulates a natural law governing men’s relation toward women and
women’s relation toward men” (Pizan 244) and although she is referring to the “amorous
life” Pizan does evidence her belief in “natural law”. To conclude, even if she cannot be
considered a total feminist nowadays she surely is a pioneer of the movement.

7. Compare Longinus’ and Burke’s sublimes.

Longinus’ and Burke’s sublimes are not the same. While, in definition, both sublimes
generate a sense of “delight” within an “audience”, longinus does not differentiate between
“the beautiful” and “the sublime” (pleasure). Burke does so, since he considers fear —
resembling pain— the strongest experianciable emotion, sublime is experienced through
strong feelings of fear, reverence and insignificance (awe), as a consequence, it is not
confined to discourse —as Longinus’—and can be found within nature or art among many
others. It can be said then, that even if Longinus nurtured the concept of sublime, Burke
accomplished a better understanding of it.

Grading rubric

[3 pts = excellent/good 2 pts = satisfactory 1 pt = poor 0 pts = not included or not

(clear) enough to evaluate]
1. The topic sentences or main argument is clear and eloquent; and coherent with the
question and story.
2. The evidence is consistent with the topic sentence; it is clear and eloquent.
3. The evidence is solid to make a convincing point (2 or 3 ideas).
4. The conclusion wraps up consistently and flows persuasively.
5. The language used is clear and academic.
6. If any spelling or grammar mistakes, these do not strain the reader.
7. Overall impression: reflects critical thinking; understanding of the theory discussed; sound
interpretation of the text.