Single Idea 22030

[catalogued under 21. Aesthetics / B. Nature of Art / 8. The Arts / b. Literature]

Full Idea

Romantic poetry recognises as its first commandment that the free choice [Wilkür] of the poet can tolerate no law above itself.

Gist of Idea

For poets free choice is supreme

Source

Friedrich Schlegel (works [1798], Frag 116 p.32), quoted by Terry Pinkard - German Philosophy 1760-1860 06

Book Reference

Pinkard,Terry: 'German Philosophy 1760-1860' [CUP 2002], p.161


A Reaction

This leads to Shelley's 'poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the race'. We should also take it as a response to Kant's categorical imperative, which leads to the Gauguin Problem (wickedness justified by the art it leads to).