The philosopher Plato attacked poetry as well as other forms of mimesis.
Plato's theory of mimesis (imitation) states that the arts are concerned with illusion, which is an imitation of an imitation.
Therefore, they are two steps removed from reality.
As a moralist, Plato opposes poetry due to its immoral nature, while as a philosopher, he opposes it due to its reliance on falsehood.
As far as he is concerned, philosophy is superior to poetry as a philosopher deals with ideas/truths, whereas a poet deals with what appears to him/illusions.
He believed that truth of philosophy was more important than the pleasure of poetry.
He argued that most of it should be banned from the ideal society described in the Republic.
A fundamental question that Plato raises is whether or not poetry produces pleasure that is beneficial to humankind.
In books 2 and 3, Plato opposes poetry as a means of understanding and therefore as a means of approaching or ensuring what is "good" or "just" for the following reasons:
Poetry is not composed by reason or understanding but rather by inspiration.
The poets teach the wrong stuff: for instance, god is defined as all that is "good", so they do not accurately portray the gods (poets not only lie, says Plato, but "lie in an ugly fashion"!)
Poetry arouses emotions in a way that is not in accord with reason.
"imitations practiced from youth become part of nature and settle into habits of gesture, voice, and thought".
For a good man to imitate a wrong action is uncomfortable, for he "despises it in his mind, unless it's just done in play": what we would abominate in ourselves gives us pleasure through pity for what is "on stage"!
Book 10 of Plato's Republic revisits the poetry issue in more detail, with astounding results: Plato finds poetry unacceptable in his ideal Republic and feels compelled to exclude it.
The reality of poetry is at a second-degree separation from the material world since it is an imitation of a material world that already imitates the "really real."
Homer's work does not provide us with any practical or theoretical information, nor does it improve our knowledge of generalship or governance.
The poet should be aware of the topic being described (does the painter or smithy know the correct quality of reins and bits for horses?)
There is a danger in poetry, not only because of its ignorance but also because the song and rhythm hold such a spell that this description, which holds no truth but is simply an ignorant interpretation, appears to be the truth itself.
The pursuit of pure reason is the true nature of the "good" soul, and poetry produces the wrong emotions and interferes with them.
According to Plato, pity is a direct pleasure inappropriate in a tragic situation.
Poetry "waters and fosters these passions" In sum, Plato's four arguments are:
Poets compose under inspiration, not by using reason.
Poetry must be made aware of what it teaches and thus teaches the wrong things.
Poetry is mimesis (imitation), too removed from the "really real" (that is, from the world of the Forms)
Poetry encourages the wrong emotions in the audience.
The Republic throws poetry out, but with a challenge.
Plato has now raised the question of why representations of people suffering are pleasurable experiences.
Furthermore, he has related this to the irrational side of one's being, thus placing it within the context of the "ancient quarrel between poetry and philosophy."
As Plato cannot tolerate irrationality in his utopian, philosophy-ruled state, he excludes poetry (specific tragedy) from the Republic.
The philosopher Plato offers a challenge to those who would like to argue that poetry has a proper place in his philosophical utopia.
"And we would allow [poetry's] advocates who are not poets but lovers of poetry to plead her cause in prose without meter, and show that she is not only delightful but beneficial to orderly government and all the life of man. And we shall listen benevolently, for it will be clear gain for us if it can be shown that she bestows not only pleasure but a benefit."