Literary Theory

              This week you will be researching and creating a presentation for your classmates over a literary theory. Literary theories date all the way back to Plato and Aristotle.  Two amazing philosophers who looked at the world and all art forms from a unique perspective.
              In Plato's Republic (C. 380 BC), he discusses the allegory of The Cave. Prisoners are chained to a wall in the cave, and they are shown shadows on a wall. For example; they are shown a chair. The prisoner does not actually see the chair, he only sees the shadow of the chair, yet he calls it a chair. Plato argues that he really isn't seeing a chair but only a shadow so his naming is wrong. His argument is that they are only seeing mirror images or copies. This is what he believed artists did. They held up a mirror image or copy of nature. He believed that if they did not teach moral or ethics than their work was useless and only harms the reader or audience. Therefore, a careful examination of art had to be made.
             In Aristotle's Poetics (C. 335 BC), he considers poetry and art to be a part of a productive science. Since it was productive, it had to serve a purpose for the audience. In his text he lays out some guidelines for artists. He believed in organization of ideas, literary devices, and structure within a piece of writing. All of this was to help the reader reach a kartharsis with the work.
            Now your groups won't be going back as far with literary theory, but it is the key stone to all literature.  These two minds managed to come up with something that is still discussed today, and they have influenced so many great writers and theorists. All of the theories that you are researching have a starting influence with Plato and Aristotle. I can't wait to see what you guys produce from your research. These will be theories that we will use all year long.