THE POET AS WARRIORS IN SIDNEYS DEFENCE OF POETRY

Let us not shut our eyes to poets pipers

And players pull our feet back from
Resort to theater, and turn away from the
Beholding of vanity greatest storm
Of abuse will be overblown
The above mention lines are taken from Stephen Gossons The School of Abuse.
Gosson dedicated his work to Philip Sydney which angered him and in his answer he
wrote Apology for Poetry. Sydney used idea from both Plato who had ironically argued
against poetry and Aristotle to make his case more consistent. The essence of his defense
is that, poetry by combining the liveliness of history with the ethical of philosophy is
rousing its readers towards virtue.
It is quite ironic to state that Sydneys defense attracted much of his readers with
the validity of his arguments than the vitality of his prose. His rhetoric ability is quite
strong in his text that it hides his real purpose. The deeper meanings of his words are
masked by the imaginative power of language which is drawn deep from his personal
expressions. It compels his readers to stick with one idea that is redirecting the purpose of
poetry.
Another way to analyze the text is to explore the biographical and social context
within which it was conceived. While analyzing the text in this context one comes up to
the point that Sydneys personal desires were not centered on poetry rather they were
filled with his own materialistic intentions. This particular approach is quite apparent in
the words of Margret W Ferguson a poets Apology for Poetry is necessary a self
interested expressions of personal desires.
His real essence towards life from his birth, training till election was service to the
state. His devotion towards poetry was accidental. When he lost his services from court,
poetry was the only thing which could save him from redundancy. Thats the reason why
he turned towards poetry as his new vocation. At Sydneys time poetry was related to the
lower forms of learning and its competitors history and philosophy were reserved for
mature minds. Sydney himself has explained this poor handling of poetry in his text. For
Sydney poetry which was used to be the highest estimation of learning has now fallen
to be the laughing-stock of children. It was a difficult task for Sydney to adopt
something which itself was in a need of some validation.
In his text there are certain phases in which he praises his lost vocation by leaving
poetry behind. In the very first line of text Sydney praises the importance of learning
horsemanship. By giving the example of horseman as the noble of soldiers, he
indirectly shows his inclination towards his previous vocation. He considers himself as a
perfect logician, who talks about self love and divine essence but from the inside his
own intentions are not clear.
While using words like poor poetry and pity full defense he himself lowers the
position of poetry. On the other hand he compares poetry with its most immediate
competitors history and philosophy. It is important to note here that while Sydney was
going to pursue his education his mentor Haber Languet advised him that he must turn
not to poetry but to moral philosophy and history that would help him for his future
career as a statesman. This shows that his own inclination was towards these subjects i.e.
moral philosophy and history. That is the reason he did not fully condemn them in his
defense as Plato rejected poetry in Republic, instead he used them side by side with
poetry. But serving sciences, which as they have each a private end in themselves, so
yet are they all directed to the highest end of mistress knowledge. Though he thinks that
poetry is the highest form of knowledge but on the other hand it looks like he is also
defending other sciences too.
Throughout his career he did not mention the value of poetry nor does Sydney
assign poetry any role when advising his brother or friend Edward Denny for their
education. While on the other hand he contradicts himself by giving the name of
Architektonike that is the highest end of knowledge to poetry.
When Sydney wrote his defense he was engaged in defining himself as a poet.
After paying farewell to court services he started engaging himself with poets like
Spencer and Dyer for writing and discussing poetry. Hence poetry was the ultimate
source of earning to him. He found in the role of poet the sense of vocation, which he had
been denied at court.
 Sidneys most desire public service was in doing military actions. His basic idea
to gain glory and respect was within wars and works related to court. During 1578,
Sydneys pursuits for military actions in Netherlands were so strong that it provoked stern
rebuke from his mentor Languid in three separate occasions. Most men of high birth are
possessed with this madness. Languid wrote on 2 May 1578, that they long after a
reputation founded on bloodshed, and believe that there is no glory for them except that
which is connected with the destruction of mankind. On 22 October 1578 he became
more personal: You and your fellows, I mean men of noble birth, consider that nothing
brings you more honor than the wholesale slaughter. All these comments directly attack
on the feral temperament of Sydney. They clearly show that Sydneys main focus was to
construct his reputation as a warrior.
Sydneys aggressive nature and frustration after leaving court are directly
reflecting in his defense. Especially when he says no more than a long gown makes an
advocate, who though he pleaded in armor, should be an advocate and no soldier, these
words clearly shows the indirect relation of Sydney with his previous profession which
he wanted to adopt with so much devotion. He deceives his own will by disguising
himself in the cloak of poet.
To define himself as a poet Sydney took a dramatic turn. He changed his mindset
by transforming his previous ideas of poetry as merely a game to impress ladies into a
real vocation. Being a humanist himself his ideas were shaped by humanist teachings. In
order to establish his own status as a poet he attacked the humanists and statesman as the
most dangerous opponent of poetry. For that purpose his own words are quite appropriate
to state here, it was like a civil war among Muses for him to safeguard his personal
interest. He took a step in which his own interests were also fulfilling with the help of
poetry.
Sydneys rhetorical style is difficult to understand. By reading the surface
arguments one cannot reveal his imaginative effort which is more personally expressive.
It is quite apparent in the opening lines of Sydney defense that is the allusion of Sydneys
youthful training as horseman. When the right virtuous Edward Wotton and I were at the
emperors court together we gave ourselves to learn horsemanship of John Pietro
Pugliano. These line provide analogy between Puglianos self interested praise of
horsemanship and Sydneys self interest in poetry an example of his brilliant rhetoric
ability.
It has often been observe that Sydney at times establishes his aristocratic persona
by imposing his purpose of writing his defense on his aristocratic elite to which Sydney
himself belong and partly shares their skepticism about poetry. At some instances he
shows some nostalgic gestures of his lost promise of youth, when his training as a solder
used to be his real vocation. The word horsemanship is itself a symbol of aristocratic
elite. It refers to both Sydney and his audience to which he dedicated is work.
Sydney own youth was filled with activities involving physical strength which
was exercised with horsemanship, weapons and other qualities. He used to adopt those
things through which he can have some serviceable use. His tone becomes more
nostalgic, thus highlighting the ironic contrast between youthful promises and present
task of writing the defense. His idea of serviceable use wasted as he was devoid of using
his past skills lost their meaning.
The uses of phrases like unelected vocation and slipped into the title of poet
conveys double irony. These words clearly refer to his past hardships being a statesman.
The word title conveys the fact that Sydney always wanted to earn the title of his uncle
Earl of Leicester. The phrase un elected vocation conveys even double irony. For
Sydney his serviceable use was always devoted to the service to state.
Sydneys main goal of his life was to lead England towards her destiny, to
safeguard the protestant cause. But after leaving the court he left his motives unattended
and slipped from his heroic and elected vocation into the title of poet.
Throughout the text Sydney metaphorically uses the words like Laurel crown,
strong monarch for poets. For those arguments in which he wants to give a climatic
effect he uses strong military language the great danger of civil war among the muses in
the beginning is the example. When he talks about the competing claims among poetry,
philosophy and history, he concludes by putting the laurel crown upon the poets as
victorious. Before turning towards his refutation he adds that the laurel crown appointed
for triumphant captains doth worthily (of all other learning) honor the poet triumph.
Sydneys use of metaphoric language places his arguments in a military tone, not
in a poetic context. Sydney allusion to Military language and aristocratic values shapes
his arguments. They also have a deeper meaning in them by highlighting its broader
perspective. He extends his reference by applying a complete hierarchy of skills,
ascending from saddler, to horseman, to soldier, to soldier with theory, to soldier with
theory and practice, to prince. Thus his definition of the goal of all learning is in the
image of the warrior prince.
While talking about the different genre of poetry especially in his treatment of
lyric Sydney devote only single clause to those poems which are in the praise of God, and
rest of the thirty lines are addressing those poems which are in the praise of warriors. He
talks about the songs of Percy and Douglas moved his heart more than a trumpet. He
recalls hearing at Hungarian feast songs of other ancestor valor, which that right soldier
like nation thinks one of the chiefest kindlers of brave courage. This kind of poetry he
concludes is most capable and most fit to awake the thoughts from the sleep of idleness
to embrace honorable enterprises. He shows his readers an image of poet who is difficult
to distinguish from warriors.
Another genre taken by Sydney which celebrates warrior-princes is the epic.
While giving the ideal examples given by poetry he turn towards those characters which
are portrayed as warriors like Theagenes, Orlando, Cyrus and Aeneas. When he argues
for poets capacity for depicting ideal characters of human behavior he again comes
towards Cyrus, Aeneas and Ulysses. These repeated clearly indicate his unconscious
effort towards his past days.
Sydney arguments succeed more by metaphor than logic. He gives poetry names
as sweet food, a food for the tenderest stomach, a heart ravishing knowledge. By
giving such praise to poetry he burden the poet only towards the right end, and despite
having an infected will he targets the moral capacity of his readers to respond only to
the right kind of excitement. Imagery of sweetness and song sweet charming force
modulate immediately into imagery of war any other army of words.
Towards the end of Defense he confesses the lack of discipline as a poet, he says
that he wrote only because he was overmastered by some thoughts. In the dedication he
confess to handling his work triflingly, adding that it came from a head not so well
stayed as I would it were and having many fancies begotten in it that demanded release.
 Towards the end of the book, Sidney discusses the status of poetry in
contemporary England. The criticizers of poetry say that it effeminizes nations.
According to Sidney, they say that before poets began to be in price, our nation had set
their hearts delight upon action, and not imagination: rather doing things worthy to be
written, than writing things fit to be done. He replies to this that the great Greek and
Roman heroes achieved victory by reading inspiring poetry. Its an art of notable stirring
of courage. He believes the other way round that the countrys military weakness is due
to low estimation of poetry. He writes,
Poesy, thus embraced in all places, should only find in our time a hard welcome
in England..and therefore decketh our soil few laurels than it was accustomed.
This ironical criticism on Englands overfaint quietness due to lack of military
actions refers to Sidneys own frustration on his own inactions. His life history tells us
that he often lamented on the Queen Elizabeths weak military policies. He says that
poets are now living in quietness who once flourished when Mars trumpet blew. The
Venus would like to be troubled in the net of Mars rather sitting idle at home. This
imagery of goddess of love entangled with the God of war reflects Sidneys ability to pair
seduction with aggression. The appeal of Venus to Mars bonds poetry to the virility of
war. He says that England cannot bear the pain of a pen. Again the pen is compared to a
sword.
As a consequence of low esteem given to poetry in Sidneys England, men of
real quality dont get a chance to be acknowledged as knights of the order. The return
of Englands lost heroic tradition is conditioned with respect for poetry. It is possible only
if men from aristocratic background like Sidney use the pen like a sword. This sword
should be used to eliminate the social enervation.
As a conclusion, it can be said that the repeated association of poetry with
military examples and vocabulary shows Sidneys subtle attempt to revive the chivalry of
England. It may be an unconscious effort but it gives us a glimpse of Sidneys partiality
towards battleship rather poetry which he calls an ink-wasting toy. While writing
Defense, he assumes himself as a warrior prince rather than an advocate of this
unelected vocation.