Argumentative essay example
Good Poetry: Propaganda or Purely Aesthetic
- Subject
- English & Literature
- Type
- Argumentative essay
- Citation style
- MLA
- Level
- Undergraduate
- Length
- 9 pages
About this sample
The paper argues that propaganda is a legitimate and valuable dimension of poetry rather than a derogatory label, and that poetry with a propagandistic aspect is preferable to purely aesthetic work. It examines Kenneth Burke's arguments that all art engages its audience, set against Allen Tate's view that art should be detached from circumstance and audience. The opening pages state the thesis, then develop Burke's claims about the link between poet, world, and reader.
- Propaganda in poetry
- Kenneth Burke's literary theory
- Allen Tate and aesthetic poetry
- Poet, world, and reader relationship
- Audience engagement and social change
How it opens
Instead of showing a strong support or disparaging propagandistic components of poetry, it is better to diverge into the adversatives with another alternative. Poetry does not have to be purely aesthetic, outside of the word “good,” and it does not have to be “a weapon in the class struggle.” Art can become an informative mechanism that could spark change in the perceptions of the public. Propaganda can be explained as a vital facet of poetry with different objects and styles. Although most are cautious to apply the word “propaganda” to depict a form of poetry, it is better to employ the term in a non-derogatory way. Propaganda is a means of defining poetry that appreciates the ability to be both shaped by and be a stimulus to the principles and approaches of the audience.
Even though propagandistic poetry can be a great tool for good, it has to be centered on a rigorous moral doctrine and use a style that views the audience as individuals, not hostages. The style and purpose are the key determinants of the intensity of propagandistic poetry. Still, propaganda and art are linked in an intricate web, and there are ethical criterions to instruct poets in creating principled propagandistic poetry. This paper will focus on Kenneth Burke’s works on an in-depth level and review his arguments on choosing propagandistic poetry over purely aesthetic poetry and the underlying explanations for the preference.
The opening section, transcribed from the PDF. The full paper continues below.
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Using an example well
Read it for how the paper is built, not for wording to reuse: how the introduction frames the question, how each paragraph moves from a claim to evidence, and how sources are cited in MLA. Submitting any part of it as your own work would be plagiarism, and it is written for a different brief than yours.
Writing one yourself? Read the guide How to write an argumentative essay and the MLA format guide.