Literary Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Literary Theory - Essay Example To cater to a wider audience, Horace suggests including both these elements in a poem. Besides, the setting, time and location should have unity and coherence. Longinus feels that a prom should immediately elevate the reader to a sublime state as if he has experienced it himself, which element has not been taken into account by Horace. Horace merely suggests that poems should begin in the middle of a situation so that the reader immediately plunges into the poem. Longinus finds that conflicting feelings can be united while Horace feels decorum and coherent effect are essential for unity. Horace believes that learning can come only when there is in an innate quality to be a poet. Learning without innate talent would serve no purpose. Longinus on the other hand feels following too much of formal elements can create or ruin the poetic effect, which is the very purpose of creating poetry. Both agree that poets are innate and not made. As a critic or a writer, being able to express conflicting feelings would be more appealing. Most people do experience such conflicts in their life and it would be easy to transport people to such heights so as to merge the reader and the writer and the written passage or poem. Compare/contrast the rhetorical theories of Plato and Longinus. Try to identify areas of agreement and disagreement in their discussions of how poetry affects its audiences. Do you think one theory is superior, or do they both have value for your work as a critic and writer? Which theory do you think is more helpful in understanding the effect of literary texts in the 20th century? Plato believes that poems do not reflect reality while Longinus contends that poets are innate and hence their creation has to be truth. Plato believes being a poet is a skill that can be created. Longinus asserts that a poem should elevate the reader to such a state that he feels he is the composer which is