Plato's Critique of Imitation in Poetry and Art

Against Imitation: Plato's Critique of Poetry and Art (Excerpt from The Republic)

Introduction: The Rejection of Imitative Poetry

• Socrates' Esteem for the State's Order: Socrates expresses profound satisfaction with the rules governing their State, particularly regarding poetry.

• Target of Rejection: He refers specifically to the rejection of imitative poetry.

• Justification: This conviction is now clearer to him, especially after the distinct parts of the soul have been identified (though not detailed in this excerpt, it serves as a foundational premise).

• Consequence of Imitative Poetry: Socrates confidentially states that all poetical imitations are detrimental (ruinous) to the understanding of their hearers.

• Antidote: The only remedy against this harm is knowledge of the true nature of such imitations.

• Homer's Veneration vs. Truth: Despite a lifelong awe and love for Homer, whom he calls the "great captain and teacher of the whole of that charming tragic company," Socrates asserts that truth is to be revered above any man, compelling him to speak out against imitation.

The Nature of Imitation: Establishing a Hierarchy of Existence

• The Usual Manner of Enquiry: Socrates proposes to define imitation by first examining how common names correspond to ideas or forms.

• Example: Beds and Tables: There are numerous individual beds and tables in the world.

• Two Ideas/Forms: However, there are only two governing Forms or Ideas: the Idea of a bed and the Idea of a table.

• The Artificer's Role: A craftsman (e.g., a bed-maker or table-maker) creates particular objects (beds, tables) according to these Ideas, but cannot create the Ideas themselves.

The "All-Maker" and the Three Kinds of Beds/Artists

• The Extraordinary Artist: Socrates introduces a seemingly extraordinary artist capable of making all the works of all other workmen, including all vessels, plants, animals, human beings, the earth, heaven, things in heaven or under the earth, and even the gods.

  • Glaucon's Reaction: Glaucon calls this creator a "wizard."

• The Easy Way to Be an "All-Maker": Socrates reveals this "all-making" feat can be accomplished quickly and easily in many ways, most notably by turning a mirror around.

  • Mirror Analogy: By using a mirror, one can create appearances of the sun, heavens, earth, oneself, animals, plants, and all other things.

  • Appearance vs. Reality: Glaucon acknowledges that these mirror images are "appearances only."

• The Painter as a Creator of Appearances: Socrates then equates the painter to this "all-maker" using a mirror, stating that a painter is a creator of appearances.

  • A painter can draw a bed, but not a real bed.

• The Carpenter's Work as "Semblance": If the carpenter does not make the Idea of the bed (which is its true essence), but only a particular bed, then he makes only a "semblance of existence," not "true existence."

  • Philosophers would agree that the carpenter's work does not possess real existence, thus it is an "indistinct expression of truth."

The Three Kinds of Beds and Artists:

1. The Bed in Nature (Ideal Bed): This is made by God alone.

   • God's Uniqueness: God, whether by choice or necessity, created only one ideal bed in nature.

   • Reason for Singularity: If God were to make two ideal beds, a third, more ideal bed would emerge as the common idea for the first two, making the third the actual ideal bed.

   • God's Desire: God desired to be the real maker of a real bed, creating one thing unique in its kind.

   • Designation: God is the "natural author or maker" of the bed, and of all other things through the natural process of creation.

2. The Bed Made by the Carpenter: This is a particular, physical bed.

   • The carpenter is also a "maker" of the bed.

3. The Bed Made by the Painter: This is an image or imitation of a bed.

   • The painter is not a creator or maker in the same sense as God or the carpenter.

   • Designation: The painter is fairly designated as the "imitator of that which the others make."

The Imitator's Distance from Truth

• Threefold Removal from Nature: The painter is described as being "third in the descent from nature."

  • Hierarchy: Idea (God)
    ightarrow Particular Object (Carpenter)
    ightarrow Image (Painter).

• Tragic Poet as an Imitator: The tragic poet is also an imitator, and like all other imitators, is thus "thrice removed from the king and from the truth."

• Imitation of Appearances, Not Reality: The painter imitates not the object as it is (its reality), but as it appears.

  • Viewpoint Variability: A bed appears different from various viewpoints (obliquely, directly), but its reality remains unchanged. Painting captures these appearances.

• Imitator's Limited Knowledge: The imitator, being far off from the truth (only dealing with appearances), can "do all things" because they merely touch lightly upon a small, superficial part of things – an image.

  • Example: A painter can depict a cobbler or carpenter without any knowledge of their respective arts. If skilled, they can deceive children or simple persons into believing they are seeing a real craftsman from a distance.

Critique of Poets: Homer and Tragedians

• The Illusion of Universal Knowledge: Socrates questions the belief that tragedians, led by Homer, possess knowledge of all arts, human affairs (virtue and vice), and divine matters.

  • Common Argument: The argument that a good poet must know their subject to compose well is challenged.

• Deception by Imitators: Socrates suggests this belief might be an illusion, a deception by imitators who create things "thrice removed from the truth" and can do so without actual knowledge, as they deal only in appearances.

• The True Artist's Pursuit: If someone were capable of creating the original (reality) as well as the image, they would not dedicate themselves solely to image-making.

  • A real artist, possessing true knowledge, would pursue realities and create lasting, honorable works, preferring to be the subject of encomiums rather than their author.

• Challenging Homer's Expertise: Socrates proposes to question Homer not about incidental topics like medicine (where he may only refer to it secondhand, unlike Asclepius or the Asclepiads), but about the "chiefest and noblest subjects" of his poems: military tactics, politics, and education.

  • Legislative Impact: If Homer truly understood virtue, what state was ever better governed by his help? Unlike Lycurgus (Lacedaemon), Charondas (Italy and Sicily), or Solon (renowned in Athens), no city names Homer as its legislator.

  • Military Success: No recorded war was successfully led or aided by Homer's counsels.

  • Practical Inventions: Homer is attributed with no practical inventions applicable to arts or human life, unlike figures such as Thales the Milesian or Anacharsis the Scythian.