Many works of literature provide responses to much debated topics. Opinions are brought forth by means of rhetorical devices and supported by some type of accepted truth. In two such pieces, The Republic by Plato and “A Defense of Poetry” by Shelley, Plato expresses a belief about poetry that Shelley disagrees with and responds to. Through rhetorical devices such as metaphors and symbolism and the use of deductive logic and Socratic writing, Plato provides a …showed first 75 words of 559 total…

…showed last 75 words of 559 total…assertion that that in which is imitated, as is a mirror image, is far from the truth. Shelley only states that the image (poetry) is more beautiful than the truth, which is distorted. Plato and Shelley both portray their ideas of poetry through rhetorical devices but Plato’s argument is much more solid. Because of his Socratic writing form and effective use of metaphors, Plato’s devices persuasively outweigh Shelley’s form, analogies and metaphors.