The Arte of English Poesie

"The Arte of English Poesie" by George Puttenham is a book that explains the rules and importance of poetry during the late 1500s. It examines what poetry is, what poets do, and the different kinds of poems that can be written, all while making the case that English poetry is just as good as the poetry written in Latin and Greek. The author thinks poetry is a sophisticated art that's important for a well-mannered society and for teaching people right from wrong. The book starts by describing a poet as someone who "makes" things and talks about how poetry has a kind of magical quality, saying it's both about creating something new and copying what's already there. The author points out that poets were really important in early civilizations, acting as priests, lawmakers, and thinkers. The book clearly wants people to see poetry as an art with its own set of rules, but also as a way to teach lessons, show cultural values, and talk about what it means to be human, giving lots of examples to get ready for a closer look at different poetic forms and their history.