A Defence of Poesie and Poems

by Philip Sidney

"A Defence of Poesie and Poems" by Philip Sidney is a work of literary criticism written around 1580 and published in 1595. Sidney argues that poetry surpasses both history and philosophy in inspiring readers toward virtue by combining historical liveliness with ethical purpose. Responding to attacks on poetry, including Stephen Gosson's critique of the English stage, Sidney defends poetry's noble place in society through its power to teach and delight. This groundbreaking essay became England's first philosophical defense of imaginative literature during the Renaissance.