In 'A Defence of Poetry', how does Shelley define the difference between 'Reason' and 'Imagination' at the very beginning of the essay?
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Correct answer: Reason contemplates relations between thoughts; Imagination acts upon them to color them
Shelley establishes a clear hierarchy, defining reason as logical analysis, or the mind observing relations between thoughts. Imagination, conversely, is the creative principle that acts upon those thoughts, synthesizes them, and colors them to create new wholes. He famously characterizes reason as the instrument, while imagination is the agent of value and spirit.
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More A Defence of Poetry questions
- How does Shelley characterize the relationship between language and the imagination?
- How does Shelley respond to the Utilitarian argument that science and political economy are more useful to society than poetry?
- In 'A Defence of Poetry', what does Shelley claim is the secret of moral goodness?
- According to Shelley, can an individual simply decide to write great poetry through conscious willpower and effort?
- What distinction does Shelley make between a 'story' (like a historical account) and a 'poem'?
- How does Shelley view the moralizing approach in poetry, such as when a poet intentionally crafts a poem to teach a specific ethical lesson?