A ‘Right Poet’ in his Means, (a ‘Modern Poet’ in his Ends): John Donne and the Concept of the ‘Right Poet’ in Sir Philip Sidney’s An Apology for Poetry

Abstract

This paper will try to answer the question of whether John Donne can be considered as the “right poet” in Sir Philip Sidney’s sense. Upon close study of An Apology of poetry and a selection of Donne’s works, this essay will conclude that technically speaking, Donne can be considered as a “right poet” since his works delight the readers with original invention of metaphysical conceits and creative flow of thought in passionate and persuasive argument. However, morally speaking, Donne does not fit into Sidney’s category of the “right poet” whose aim is to teach or move by delighting the readers” “erect wit” so that it will propel their “infected will” , to try to reach the Edenic uncorrupted state of moral righteousness. True, Donne’s major concern is not of morality and didacticism but he can be considered as a ‘modern poet’ who is ahead of his time in his total acceptance of human flaws or inclination to sin as well as his time in his total acceptance of human flaws or inclination to sin as well as his encouragement for readers to be thinking individuals who get to decide for themselves what is morally right and wrong.