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Italian Poets Tried To Justify Poetry
Poets of the Italian Renaissance were concerned with literary criticism because they felt the need for a theory to guide them in their work.
This is the thesis of Bernard Weinberg, professor of Romance languages at the University of Chicago, who delivered a Humanities Lecture last night to about 125 persons on "Poetics and Poetic Theory in the Italian Renaissance."
Prof. Weinberg, whose book on this general topic will be published next month, said that Renaissance poets asked four questions of the literary theorists of their day.
- How can I defend my art?
- What is the essential nature of my art and how and why should I practice it?
- How do I know good from bad in my poetry and in poetry in general?
● What is the character of the genre I intend to exploit?
THE FIRST QUESTION was asked because "the Renaissance poet had to justify himself to himself, and to the rest of the world" in the face of attacks from the Platonists, humanists, and churchmen.
The speaker said the answer usually consisted of a reference to classical poetic theory, such as that of Aristotle and Horace.
THE THEORISTS TRIED to avoid answering the second question by classifying poetry instead of explaining its nature, Prof. Weinberg continued.
"This appeal to authority was a constant procedure throughout the Renaissance." Prof. Weinberg said.
"Some critics classified poetry as imitation. This helped the poet, because it gave him an art of his own."
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Commenting on the third question, Prof. Weinberg said:
"IN THE ITALIAN Renaissance—more than during any other modern period—the problem of 'how' was a difficult one for the poet. He desperately needed the help of the theorists."
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Precepts gradually were set down by the Horatians, and a valuable source of rules was made available with the discovery of Aristotle's Poetics.
"The 'Poetics' was an ideal source of information for the poet. It provided a reason and a rationale," Prof. Weinberg stated.
"THE FINAL QUESTION—how to tell good poetry from bad—was probably the hardest question to answer."
Prof. Weinberg said the reply to this question was indirect and often repeated earlier answers. Further, the criteria established by Aristole became mere rules of thumb as the principles on which they were based began to give way.
"THE ITALIAN Renaissance never did achieve the kind of aesthetics it sought." Prof. Weinberg said. He stated that one reason for this failing is that theorists tried to solve particular problems without attempting to relate them in a meaningful pattern.
B-School Boys Hold Annual Day
Classes in the School of Business halted at 10 a.m. today to make way for the school's annual Business Day.
Events started at 10 a.m. with a debate by Bertram L. Trillich Jr., assistant professor of business, and Howard F. Stettler, professor of business, against Francis Heller, professor of political science and associate dean of the college of liberal arts and sciences, and Franklin Nelick, associate professor of English.
The debate subject was "Should a person get an undergraduate degree in the college or in the school of business?"
A softball game between business students and faculty was scheduled for 2 p.m. A women's team was organized to play a few innings against the faculty.
A banquet at 6 p.m. in the Big Eight Room of the Kansas Union will climax the day's activities. James R. Surface, dean of the School of Business will present awards for the coming year at the banquet. William A. Conboy, associate professor of speech and drama, will speak on "Communicology in Business."
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SAN FRANCISCO —(UPI)— The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, which cost $80 million, is the longest structure in the world—4 1/2 miles over navigable water.
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