Philosopher, educationist, moralist and rhapsodist.

He is the first literary critic.

Born in Athens in 428 B.C. to an aristocratic family.

His primary concentration was to induce moral values in the society and to
seek the ultimate Truth.

Plato was an idealist. He concentrated on abstract ideas and ideals. Also

referred to as the 'Armchair Philosopher'.

Founded a school called as The Academy to train Athenians in how to think

like Socrates.

Best known works: Republic, lon, Phadrus. The common character in all his
plays is Socrates (also called the Wandering Philosopher).

Republic one of Plato's most significant works is divided into several parts:

Book VII- gives the Allegory of the Cave

Book X- attack on Literature

Plato wrote 36 dialogues-well-written fictional conversations in which

Socrates consistently plays the main role.
He was a goal oriented philosopher- he believed that the most important
thing in life is to achieve fulfilment (Greek: Eudaimonia). Four ideas to lead a
more fulfilled life.

First thing essential for Eudaimonia is to think more and think rationaly know
thyself. Your thoughts will protect you from ‘Doxa’ (popular opinions). Do not
get carried away by emotions.

Develop friendships with someone whom you admire rather than someone
who is like you. Your friend should be able to track you in the path of
rationality.

Plato was the first to question why we find things beautiful. He believed
beauty reveals important truths about how to live well. We are drawn to
beauty because it reflects qualities we need but lack. Beautiful things help
guide and shape our inner character. Plato believed art has a healing role. He
saw poets, artists as guides to help us live better lives.

Plato imagined how society could be improved. In The Republic, he

suggested ways to create more fulfilled people. He believed role models
shape our character and values. He wanted society to admire wise, modest,
and experienced individuals. He thought people should vote only after
learning to think rationally. Founded the Academy to educate future leaders.
Believed rulers should be philosophers.

Plato’s theory of Mimesis and Forms

1. Art is a mere imitation of life and universe, and therefore deceptive.

Plato viewed Art of all kinds (poetry, theatre, painting) as inferior
copies of the ultimate reality.

2. Imitation (Greek: Mimesis). In Plato’s definition “Mimesis” means

“Making a copy of” of something original.
Theory of Forms:

Plato argued that beyond our imperfect physical world, was an unchanging
world of Forms. Forms are the ideal versions of the things and concepts we
see around us.

Our own reality is comprised of imperfect copies of ideal Forms. The Form
alone is real as it is unchanging.

Plato divided the entire world into two parts:

Physical Realm- comprises of worldly objects and things we can see in front
of us. This world is changing and imperfect.

Spiritual Realm it exists beyond the material world that which cannot be
seen. It is the unchanging anf perfect ideal realm of Forms and Ideas.

The physical world is a decaying, imperfect copy of perfect reality. Example:

A flower, sunset, music, or love are fading copies of true Beauty. True
concepts like Beauty and Justice exist only in the world of Forms.

Plato’s view on Arts

All art is representation of imitation (mimesis) of an original, that is the form,

and therefore it is deceptive. Plato viewed Art of all kinds (poetry, theatre,
painting) as inferior copies of the ultimate reality.

Imitation
(Greek: Mimesis). In Plato’s definition “Mimesis” means “Making a copy of” of
something original.

An artist’s representation is at the third remove from reality or truth, which

means it is three times away from reality. To take the example of a bed, first
there is a Form in nature, then its imitation by a carpenter and finally its
picture by the painter. The painter and by extension any imitative artist, is
inferior to an artisan. What the artist produces is appearance and not reality.

Plato’s attack on Literature

To prove his superiority over the poets, Plato attacked poetry on the basis of
four grounds:

1. Epistemological ground: Poets, according to Plato, do not know reality;

they only imitate the illusion of reality.

They create partial, shadowy images, not the essence of truth. Poets have no
knowledge of truth. They imitate appearances, not the actual truth of things.
What they create are illusions, not reality. Plato criticizes the nature of poetic
creation. Poets write not through reason, but through inspiration or emotional
impulse. Poetry is a sudden outpouring of the soul-not based on deliberate
thought. It is spontaneous, unpredictable, and driven by feeling. Since poetry
is driven by momentary impulse, it cannot build a better citizen or nation.
Therefore, for Plato, poetry lacks rational depth and should not be relied
upon in an ideal society.

2. Moral ground: Poets, according to Plato, lack concern for true morality;
they portray virtue and vice without

Distinction. They depict good characters suffering and evil ones succeeding,
suggesting wickedness is profitable and honest dealing harmful. Poets
present objectionable images of Gods and Heroes and represent them as
immoral, dishonest and corrupt in the poems (notably Homer). Drama
appeals to people’s worst instincts for sensation and drama. This fosters
vulgarity and leads to a harmful “rule by entertainment” that damages
national well-being.

Plato’s attack on Literature

3. Emotional Ground: Poetry appeals to feelings, not logic and therefore

misleads. Poets’ “divine inspiration” is

Irrational, partial, and not truth. Tragedy causes excessive weeping/pity,

weakening emotional control in our own lives. It lets emotions rule us, not
reason. Plato believed that literature “waters emotions”. Constantly
impersonating evil characters makes actors imbibe vices, harming their
natural self and repressing individuality. It therefore has an adverse impact
on both the actors and the readers.

4. Utilitarian Ground: Plato divided the artists into useful artists and
useless artists. He believed that on the highest wrung of the society,
there are always useful artists. He placed them in the order:

Useful artists (eg: blacksmith)

Users (common people)

Useless artists (fine artists)

Plato believed that an ideal society can be established only by useful artists.
User is able to give feedback to the useful artists. The poet who imitates
without really knowing what he is imitating is demonstarting both his lack of
useful purpose and his lack of knowledge. Useless artists cannot improve the
quality of the society because they are frenzied. They are in their own world
and cannot even recommend anything. So Plato believed that one can
admire a fine artist, but they must be banished from the ideal society
because they will involve people in useless things.