Plato's Literary Theory

According to the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, "Literary theory" is the body of ideas and methods we use in the practical reading of literature. By referring to literary theory, we not only study the works of literature but also the theories that support the various meanings of literature itself. Literary theory is the descriptive principles and tools used consistently to help writers understand literature and help readers follow along. Most, if not all, literary interpretation capitalizes on the basis, in theory, to help shape the different methods to critical analyzes. A literary theory also helps to develop the relationship between an author and their work; literary theory can focus on an extensive body of work, from class, race,

"In every civil society, there is one group that has the greatest strength, and it can and always does set down the laws in the terms suitable to it. Whatever the character of this class, the city 's way of life will be determined by it" (p350). The Republic enhances Plato 's idea of a perfect or utopian, idealistic society. He also talks about the three of the four cardinal virtues that are required for a perfect society; temperance or self-control, wisdom, justice, and courage. Without these virtues, he believes that a good life could not be obtained. In The Republic, Plato also discussed two different forms of morality; the instrumental theory of morality and the functionalist theory of morality. Within the first form, he states that consequences of one 's action will determine if the action is wrong or right. But in contrast, he argues that this wasn 't correct, and the second form was. In the second form, he believes that everyone and everything has a purpose and that one 's action is morally right or wrong depending on the effect of that purpose. Today as I study Plato 's work, I 'm learning from his philosophies and the impact it has on his

In the poem, "No, Plato, No", there is a shift of theme and focus. Unlike Plato, Auden wrote from the perspective of humanity and what they were facing and not from the perspective of the elites. In this poem, he took into account the importance of death through the symbolic meaning of his five senses and challenges Plato 's literary theory of a "perfect society" and the absence of humor unless align with the cardinal virtues of what makes a perfect society. "No, God has placed me exactly where I 'd have chosen to be, the sublunar world is such fun" (9-11), Auden 's use of sarcasm in this stanza correspond with Plato 's literary theory of being rational and unfeeling. There we can see where Auden made the correlation of being open to admit that the world is not so great and those that are here, are here for a reason and should find their greater caller instead of being fixated on controlling. Plato believes that poems are to not be imitated and should be banished from the hypothetical, ideal city and denied poetry the access to truth. He also believes artists of poets are ignorant of the things they imitate and choose to talk about and because poetry addresses itself to the lowest level of mankind in which he will never find truth towards reality. However, if poetry makes "a defense for herself in lyrical or some