The Arte of English Poesie
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The Arte of English Poesie is an important critical work from the Elizabethan age, anonymously published in 1589 and generally attributed to George Puttenham. This treatise is significant for treating English poetry as a distinct art form, a concept still debated at the time.1
The work is divided into three books:
* Book I: Discusses poets and the nature of poetry.
* Book II: Focuses on prosody, emphasizing its role in poetic form.
* Book III: Explores "Ornament," detailing elements that enhance poetic appeal to the senses.1
The Arte of English Poesie champions "right reason" as the ultimate judge of poetry and highlights the poet's creative and imitative faculties. It posits that poetry's primary purpose is to provide pleasure, rather than instruction. The work also pioneered the examination of English prosody, poetic genres, and offered critical assessments of contemporary English poetry.1
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