ABSTRACT
Table 2 covers most of the points at which we need to compare the Republic’s two discussions of poetry. It would be ridiculous to deny the differences between the two passages’ argumentative strategies and assumptions; at the same time, the remarkable degree of agreement between the table’s columns shows that the differences will work toward a single common purpose. Both these sections of the Republic reject the majority of Greek literature, both ban it from the good city, and both justify their censorship (at least in part) by spelling out that literature’s effect on its audience. The differences between the two arguments may mean that certain poems will fail by the standards of one and not by the standards of the other. But such puzzle cases are inconsequential by comparison with the sameness of intent in both passages, namely to show that the great prize and pride of Athenian culture, far Arguments against poetry https://www.niso.org/standards/z39-96/ns/oasis-exchange/table">
Books 2—3 377a—398b
Book 10 595a—608b
1 Authors at fault
Homer (377d, 379d-e, 381d, 383a, 386c—387b, 388a—c, 389a, 390a—391b, 393a); Hesiod (377d,e); Pindar (381d, 408b); Aeschylus (380a, 383a); Sophocles (381d); tragedians as a group (394c—d, 408b).
Homer (595b, 598d, 599c—600e, 605c, 606e—607a); Hesiod (600d); tragedians as a group (595b, 598d, 605 c).
2 Audience susceptible to poetry
Children (377a—c), but also the adults of the city (378a, 380b—c, 383c, 386a, 391b).
Children too (598c), but mainly adults (604e, 605b), ‘even the best of us’ (605c).
3 Problem with poetry
(1) Its falsehoods about the gods (377d—e, 379a); worse,
(2) Its bad effect on the guardians (378a, 386c, 387b—c, 388d, 391e).
(1) Poetic imitation is an inherently ignorant process (598c—601b, 602a—c); worse,
(2) It corrupts the soul (604d—606d).
4 Bad effects of poetry
Disrespect for ancestors (378b, 386a); disunity among citizens (378c, 386a); laughter (388e); lamentation (387d—e, 388d); cowardice (381e, 386b, 387c); indulgence of appetites (389d—e).
Laughter (606c); lamentation (605c, 606a); indulgence of appetites (606d).
5 Process of imitation
(1) The poet’s impersonation of a character’s way of speaking (393a—b, 395a);
(2) The actor’s enactment of a character (396b).
(1) The painter’s imitation of the appearance of an object (598b—c);
(2) The poet’s impersonation of the appearance of a person’s behavior (604d—e).
6 Subjects of imitation
Human beings (392b, 393b—c, 395c—396d).
Human beings (604e, 605a—c).
7 Bad effects of imitation in particular
Bad habit (395c—e).
Arousal of the low parts of the soul (605a, 606a—d).
8 Permissible poetry
Imitations of the best men (396c—398b).
Hymns to the gods; imitation and celebration of the best men (604e, 607a).
