The Art of Poetry is a literary work by Nicolas Boile de Preau, a French poet and classical literary theorist. First published in 1674. Taking Horace's The Art of Poetry in ancient Rome as a model, The Art of Poetry comprehensively summarizes the creative experiences of dramatists such as Gao Naiyi, Racine and Moliere, and integrates the theoretical viewpoints of Aristotle and Horace.
Form a set of classical theories that embody the political standard and literary policy of absolute monarchy from content to form. After its publication, the book has a wide influence and has been translated in European countries. Known as the "textbook" of neoclassicism.
This book is written in poetic style and is divided into four parts. The first chapter is an overview, involving creative inspiration, rational principles that should be followed in poetry creation and French poetry tradition. The second chapter discusses the genre of short poems, including pastoral poems, elegies, ode poems, coming up, remonstrance, ring songs, satirical poems, teasing poems and ballads. The third chapter discusses the main styles of poetry, including tragedy, epic and comedy.
The fourth chapter puts forward suggestions on rationality and character, and discusses the poet's morality. Based on Descartes' rationalism, the book emphasizes that "rationality" is the criterion of literary and artistic creation. Literary and artistic creation requires imitation of nature, which is the natural feeling of natural things and the human nature of nature.
Literary and artistic creation requires learning from the ancients, who believe that their works have stood the test of time and are highly authentic, so they should learn, accept and imitate their themes and techniques.
The book accepts Aristotle's thought of "close to emotion and close to reason", emphasizes "fidelity" and thinks that as long as it is realistic, art can describe ugly things as objects of appreciation. Seeking truth from facts is to grasp the universal and eternal things in human nature and create models. The book also emphasizes the law of drama creation.
About the author:
Nicolas Vario de Preau (1636-1711) is a French poet and classical literary theorist. He studied in the Department of Theology and the Department of Law of the University of Paris, and obtained the position of lawyer.
Love literature, engaged in drama research and poetry creation all his life. Because his masterpiece "The Art of Poetry" was affirmed by Louis XIV, he was appointed as a royal historian and was elected as an academician of the French Language Institute.