PLATO’S IMITATION THEORY
Plato’s imitation theory is an important part of his debate in the Republic. As I have written in my previous post, Plato asserted that making art is the equivalent of imitating. He did not like artists and their “art” making activities too much. The following are the most important excerpts from the Republic, where Plato mentions imitation. All the quotes are from “The Republic” by Plato translated by B. Jowett |The Project Guttenberg EBook of The Republic, by Plato.
POETICAL IMITATIONS
“Speaking in confidence, for I should not like to have my words repeated to the tragedians and the rest of the imitative tribe—but I do not mind saying to you, that all poetical imitations are ruinous to the understanding of the hearers, and that the knowledge of their true nature is the only antidote to them.”
The Republic by Plato translated by B. Jowett | The Project Guttenberg EBook of The Republic, by Plato
NARRATIVE OF THE POET
“Then in this case the narrative of the poet may be said to proceed by way of imitation?
Very true.
Or, if the poet everywhere appears and never conceals himself, then again the imitation is dropped, and his poetry becomes simple narration.”
The Republic by Plato translated by B. Jowett | The Project Guttenberg EBook of The Republic, by Plato
MIMETIC ART
“In saying this, I intended to imply that we must come to an understanding about the mimetic art,—whether the poets, in narrating their stories, are to be allowed by us to imitate, and if so, whether in whole or in part, and if the latter, in what parts; or should all imitation be prohibited?”
The Republic by Plato translated by B. Jowett | The Project Guttenberg EBook of The Republic, by Plato
IMITATION IS BAD
“Did you never observe how imitations, beginning in early youth and continuing far into life, at length grow into habits and become a second nature, affecting body, voice, and mind?”
The Republic by Plato translated by B. Jowett | The Project Guttenberg EBook of The Republic, by Plato
APPEARANCE OR REALITY
“Now let me ask you another question: Which is the art of painting designed to be—an imitation of things as they are, or as they appear—of appearance or of reality?
Of appearance.
Then the imitator, I said, is a long way off the truth, and can do all things because he lightly touches on a small part of them, and that part an image. For example: A painter will paint a cobbler, carpenter, or any other artist, though he knows nothing of their arts; and, if he is a good artist, he may deceive children or simple persons, when he shows them his picture of a carpenter from a distance, and they will fancy that they are looking at a real carpenter.”
The Republic by Plato translated by B. Jowett | The Project Guttenberg EBook of The Republic, by Plato
IMITATIONS THRICE REMOVED FROM THE TRUTH
“Perhaps they may have come across imitators and been deceived by them; they may not have remembered when they saw their works that these were but imitations thrice removed from the truth, and could easily be made without any knowledge of the truth, because they are appearances only and not realities? Or, after all, they may be in the right, and poets do really know the things about which they seem to the many to speak so well?”
The Republic by Plato translated by B. Jowett | The Project Guttenberg EBook of The Republic, by Plato
ARTIST INTERESTED IN REALITIES AND NOT IMITATIONS
“Now do you suppose that if a person were able to make the original as well as the image, he would seriously devote himself to the image-making branch? Would he allow imitation to be the ruling principle of his life, as if he had nothing higher in him?
I should say not.
The real artist, who knew what he was imitating, would be interested in realities and not in imitations; and would desire to leave as memorials of himself works many and fair; and, instead of being the author of encomiums, he would prefer to be the theme of them.”
The Republic by Plato translated by B. Jowett | The Project Guttenberg EBook of The Republic, by Plato
REMOVED FROM REASON
“This was the conclusion at which I was seeking to arrive when I said that painting or drawing, and imitation in general, when doing their own proper work, are far removed from truth, and the companions and friends and associates of a principle within us which is equally removed from reason, and that they have no true or healthy aim.”
The Republic by Plato translated by B. Jowett | The Project Guttenberg EBook of The Republic, by Plato
WHAT IS IMITATION?
“Can you tell me what imitation is? for I really do not know.
A likely thing, then, that I should know.
Why not? for the duller eye may often see a thing sooner than the keener.”
The Republic by Plato translated by B. Jowett | The Project Guttenberg EBook of The Republic, by Plato
Related Posts
Also, read the related Blog posts as follows: Plato’s Academia, Plato and Justice, Plato’s Duality, The Republic Lead subjects, Plato’s Regimes, Duality in Plato’s Republic, Plato and Art, Dystopia Connotations, Utopia Connotations, What is Utopia, Plato’s Republic, Who was Plato, Plato’s Visual Utopia book
Featured image artwork, “Reality Imitation” – Illustration by Daniel Heller
