This document discusses different critical approaches to defining and understanding the purpose of literature and poetry. It examines the views of Plato, Aristotle, Sidney, Dryden, Pope, and Dr. Johnson on whether poetry should imitate reality, instruct morality, or represent universal human nature. While some saw poetry as a moral instructor, others believed it illuminated recognizable aspects of human psychology and experience. The document also explores the tension between poetry providing new insights versus reflecting what is already known about human nature.