Why should Renaissance theorists defend poetry?

Renaissance theorists defended poetry for several reasons. First of all, they think that poetry is a noble art form, which can express emotions and thoughts through beautiful and elegant language. In the society at that time, poetry was regarded as the expression of cultural spirit and was widely used to express themes such as love, religion and philosophy. Therefore, they think that poetry has unique expressive ability and aesthetic value, which is worth preserving and appreciating.

Secondly, the theorists in the Renaissance pursued the revival and restoration of classical culture. They regarded ancient Greek and Roman literature as a model of literature and art. In these ancient literary works, poetry occupied an important position and was regarded as the purest and noblest art form. Therefore, they hope to improve people's understanding and appreciation of literature through the defense of poetry and promote cultural reproduction during the Renaissance.

In addition, the defense of poetry was also related to the religious reform movement at that time. Under the background of religious reform, some theorists believe that poetry can help people understand the profound thoughts of religion and guide people to think about their own beliefs. Therefore, they encourage poets to create poems with religious themes, so as to promote and guide religious education.

Generally speaking, Renaissance theorists defended poetry for aesthetic value, pursuit of ancient literature and religious education. They hoped to improve people's understanding and appreciation of poetry by defending it, which had a positive impact on the cultural and religious fields at that time.