How Works of Literature Imitate or Represent the Real World - Essay Example

Sidney does not agree with Shelley that poetry is an expression of the beauty that has been expressed by the mind or the pet.  Sidney says the poet uses the creative power to invent a new world while Shelley believes that the impression touches the core of a person who prolongs the experience. Just as a child attempts to express himself through sounds and gestures, a poet tries to express the feelings of joy and happiness he carries as impressions the world has made on his mind. A poet first feels the happiness and then this emotion is expressed through the use of words and language, says Shelley but Sidney contends it is a new creation, new nature when the poet is in harmony with the Creator.   What Shelley implies is that the beauty of the world is expressed through a poet. This happens when the poet delves deep within and appreciates nature and its beauty. What springs forth from the inner self is the feeling when the mind is in harmony with nature.

 Both however agree that the poet is in harmony – Shelly refers to it as harmony with the world, with the beauty, harmony with the impressions the world has made on him. Sidney says that when the poet exercises the highest power of humanity, he resembles the Creator. This suggests the poet is in harmony with the creator. Hence, what transpires is that a poet has to be in harmony for poetry to be created – call it nature, the world, the beauty, the creator, whether it is the imagination or the real world.

2. Compare/contrast the mimetic theories of Pope and Wordsworth. Try to identify areas of agreement and disagreement in their discussions of how works of literature imitate or represent the real world.

The mimetic theories of Pope and Wordsworth discuss the rules for the critic or the reader. Pope believes that since nature is unerring and unchanging, one should follow the rules of nature while Wordsworth’s poems imitate the primary laws of nature. Poetry has its origin in the orderly laws of nature itself. They do not just paint true pictures of nature, but according to Pope, they obey the structural and formal laws that are natural and unchanging. At this point, point Pope and Wordsworth agree that nature is unchanging.

Wordsworth believes in the primary laws of nature and hence represents characters and events from the daily life of a person. This makes it easy for the reader to identify himself and understand poetry. He changes his style according to the subject and may travel beyond the highly artificial and ornamental style that popular poetry uses.

On this point, both Wordsworth and Pope agree as Pope too thinks beyond the rules and laws. At some point, to bring the natural effect, a poet may have to go beyond the orderly and formal laws. This comes only with the grace of the creator, which is beyond any form of art or any laws.

Hence both agree that nature is unchanging and a poet may have to change the style beyond rules to suit the subject.