What was the immediate motivation for Philip Sidney to write Apologie for Poetrie as a defense of poetry?

Correct option is C

The immediate motivation for Philip Sidney to write Apologie for Poetrie (also known as The Defence of Poesy) was Stephen Gosson’s attack on poetry in his work The School of Abuse (1579). Gosson criticized poetry and other forms of entertainment, like music and drama, accusing them of leading people away from virtue. Sidney’s response was a defense of the value of poetry, arguing that it has moral and educational purposes, inspiring virtue and presenting idealized forms of human behavior.
Information Booster:
1. Philip Sidney was one of the key figures of the English Renaissance, known for his contributions to literature and his strong defense of poetry as a means of moral and intellectual enlightenment.
2. The School of Abuse (1579) by Stephen Gosson condemned poetry, theater, and music, claiming that they were morally corrupt and contributed to the degradation of society.
3. Sidney’s Apologie for Poetrie is considered one of the most important early defenses of literature, particularly poetry, arguing that poetry teaches through delight and can elevate the mind and spirit.
4. Sidney refuted Gosson’s claim by asserting that poetry does not merely entertain but also educates by presenting moral lessons through imaginative storytelling.
5. Sidney argued that poetry is superior to history and philosophy because it combines the best elements of both: it teaches like philosophy but does so through compelling narratives like history.
6. Apologie for Poetrie is also significant for its insights into Renaissance literary theory and the function of literature in society.
Additional Information:
· A. Emphasis on history in Holinshed's Chronicles : While Holinshed's Chronicles were important for historical writing in the Elizabethan era, they did not directly prompt Sidney’s defense of poetry.
· B. Philosophical questions in Thomas More's Utopia : More’s Utopia raised important philosophical and political issues, but it did not target poetry directly, and therefore did not provoke Sidney’s defense.
· D. In Praise of Folly by Erasmus: Erasmus's satire criticized human weaknesses and societal failings, but it was not an attack on poetry, so it did not motivate Sidney's defense.