Improvement on Nature

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First, works of the imagination have value exactly because they do improve on nature. Sidney writes:

only the poet, disdaining to be tied to any such subjection, lifted up with the vigor of his own invention, does grow in effect into another nature, in making things either better than nature brings forth, or, quite anew, forms such as never were in nature . . .

Received Authority

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Second, Sidney emphasizes the theme of received authority. Revered thinkers from antiquity defended and wrote imaginative literature. Who are we to reject their example? For instance, Sidney points to Plato as a great thinker who was also a poet (writer of imaginative literature, such as his dialogues). He also cites Aristole, who applauded poetry, including theater, for being mimetic, by which he meant imitative of nature in a way that delights and informs.

Moral Purpose

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Third, Sidney argues that imaginative literature does have a moral purpose. It "doth light the learner." Even the Bible and Jesus use poetic language to instruct humankind.

since the HOLY SCRIPTURE hath whole parts poetical. and that even our Savior Jesus Christ, vouchsafed to use the flower of it . . .

Therefore, it must be good. The end of poetry is not to deceive or go out bounds, as Gosson contends, but

to draw us to as high a perfection as our degenerate souls . . . can be made capable of.

Emotional Impact

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Sidney also celebrates poetry as better than history or philosophy, for those two fields offer simply cold facts and logical arguments, whereas poetry moves emotions.

The poet affects feelings and does not just give examples.

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