“A poem is like a picture. One will captivate you if you stand closer, one if you stand further away. This one favours shadow, that one will want to be seen in daylight if it is not to dread the edge of a critic’s tongue. This one pleased just one, this one will after ten visits.” – Horace.
Horace, or Quintus Horatius Flaccus (65-8 BCE), was a prominent Roman poet known for his mastery of lyric poetry. Born in Venusia, Italy, Horace was the son of a freed slave and received a good education, studying in Rome and Athens. His early career was marked by involvement in the political turmoil following Julius Caesar’s assassination, but he soon turned to poetry under the patronage of Maecenas, a close ally of Augustus. Horace never married and had no children. He died in 8 BCE leaving his estate to Augustus, indicating the deep respect and loyalty he felt for the emperor. He left behind a rich literary legacy and his philosophical influence is still seen in modern artistic endeavours.
His works are seen as a reflection of ‘The Golden Age of Augustus.’ He coined popular phrases such as ‘in medias res,’ ‘ab ovo,’ ‘carpe diem,’ and ‘ut pictura poesis.’ Ars Poetica (The art of poetry) is a foundational work in literary criticism and theory. It was written as a letter to Lucius Calpurnius Piso offering timeless advice on the craft of poetry. The word ‘poetry’ comprises ‘all literature.’
Here are 8 pieces of advice on the art of writing by Horace:
- Unity and Coherency– Horace emphasizes unity in a work of art. Every element of the work should be such that even a minor disruption causes the entire structure to tumble down. Every element should complement the other. He says it should not be “like a sick man’s dreams.” Ever had fever dreams? You must notice how everything looks out of place. One moment, you are riding a horse, the next, your horse has a duck’s head on its body. Your writing should be coherent. Consistency and organisation is key to writing good poetry. To write like this, the poet must maintain decorum. By this, he means that characters should act in a believable manner. The tone should match with the genre and subject matter. He warns against the use of ‘purple patches.’ In a purple prose, flowery language is used needlessly to make the writing ornate and lofty. These passages disrupt the flow of the poem. For example, “The moon, a radiant jewel, cast its shimmering light over the darkened landscape, where the trees swayed gracefully, their leaves rustling in the gentle breeze, creating a symphony of sounds that echoed through the tranquil, shadowed night with ethereal beauty” is the example of a purple patch. It could have easily be written like this “The moon lit the quiet night as trees swayed softly in the breeze, their rustling leaves adding to the calm and peaceful atmosphere.”
- Write according to your abilities-
“When you write, choose material to match your strengths, and long consider what your shoulders refuse to bear and what they will.”
You should be self-aware and humble if you want to write. You should be realistic and choose subjects that match your style and align with your talents. This coincides with the general advice given in writing workshops of ‘write what you know.’ By focusing on this, you can create work that is authentic, effective, and relatable to the audience.
3. Poetry must instruct and delight–
“It is not enough that poetry be noble: it should impart delight, and transport the listener as it likes.”
He believes that good poetry serves a dual purpose: it pleases as well as teaches something. There should be a balance didactic content and aesthetic pleasure and a poem’s effectiveness lies in its ability to engage the reader while imparting valuable lessons or truths. Hamlet’s famous soliloquy ‘To be or not to be’ is rhythmic, beautiful, and complex yet at the same time, it presents the undeniable truth of existence, suffering, and death.
4. Don’t use ‘Deus ex machina’-
“And a god is not to intervene unless a knot be encountered worthy of such a deliverer.”
This plot device refers to when a seemingly unsolvable conflict is resolved by the intervention or sudden appearance of a god or an external force. Horace believes it to be a sign of poor craftsmanship, that highlights weaknesses in the writer’s plot. He advocates for solutions that arise natural and logical way. In Charlotte Bronte’s ‘Jane Eyre,’ the fire at Thornfield Hall very conveniently removes Bertha Mason from the narrative and paves way for the romantic relationship between Jane and Mr. Rochester.
5. Not everyone is competent to be a critic–
“Not every critic sees faulty rhythm in poetry, and favour has been given undeservedly to poets who are Roman.”
According to Horace, not all critics possess the specialized skill and accurate judgement required to understand and experience the nuances of poetry. Everyone can offer opinions, but only few can evaluate the merit of a work correctly. When it was published, Herman Melville’s ‘Moby Dick’ received mixed to negative reviews. One critic, James Russell Lowell called it a ‘dismal book’ with a ‘sordid’ plot. Now it is recognized as ‘one of the greatest American novels’ known for its rich symbolism and exploration of complex themes such as obsession and human condition.
6. Importance of editing–
“Rebuke the poem not disciplined through many a day and many an erasure, and not trimmed off and ten times smoothed to the nail!”
Even to Horace, editing is king. Edit until you can’t. The most important part of writing is editing. He believes that even the most talented poets must carefully refine their poems, cut out unnecessary elements, and polish the language for better clarity.
7. Be brief. Use less words-
“Be brief, so that people’s minds may grasp what you say quickly and easily and retain it faithfully. All excess overflows from a mind that’s full.”
Horace advocates for brevity in poetry, encouraging poets to be concise and avoid unnecessary verbosity. He believes that a poem should be clear without superfluous words that could dilute the message or bore the audience. Every should serve its purpose and brevity is a mark of skilful writing. Look at this unrevised passage from Hemingway’s ‘The Old Man and the Sea’:
“He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf Stream and he had gone eighty-four days now without taking a fish.”
Now, look at the revised version: “An old man fished alone in the Gulf Stream, eighty-four days without a catch.”
8. Don’t publish hastily–
“Keep it shut up for nine years right inside the parchment wrapper. What you haven’t published may be destroyed: the uttered word is beyond recall!”
Horace is being caustic here. He says that a writer, after finishing the work, should let it rest for some time and then revise and reflect on it as much as he can. Avoid hasty publication, so that any errors or weaknesses could be removed before it sees the light of the day. Get reviews from people and ask for opinions but be careful who you ask for advice. For he says:
“Just as hired mourners at a funeral say and do more than those who are grieving from the heart, in the same way a mocker makes more of a show than the man whose praise is sincere.”
People who give false praise will make much more noise than those who offer serious and constructive criticism. When Quintilius, a Roman politician, was asked to critique, he would say: “Correct this, please, and that.” If after two three attempts you did not comply, he would not argue but ask you to put the old verses back. Thus, only show your work to people who are worthy of their merit.
Horace’s tone in Ars Poetica is ironic and sarcastic. He wants to help the writers but he also says that you cannot help a writer who doesn’t want to help himself: “Poets should have that right- let them perish! to save someone against his will is like murder.”
Do you agree with the advice Horace provides? What is the best writing advice you received? Let us know in the comments below.
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