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Didacticism is an artistic philosophy that emphasises instructional and informative qualities in literature and other types of art. Didactic art should not primarily "entertain" or pursue the subjective goals of the artist.

In this sense, the Bible is didactic because it offers guidance in moral, religious, and ethical matters. It tells stories of the lives of people that followed Judeo-Christian teachings, and stories of people that decided to go against God and the consequences that they faced. Another example is Alexander Pope's An Essay on Criticism, which offers a range of criticism and advice.

The term "didactic" also refers to texts that are overburdened with instructive and factual information, sometimes to the detriment of a reader's enjoyment. The opposite of "didactic" is "non-didactic." If a writer is more concerned with artistic qualities and techniques than with conveying a message, then that piece of work is considered to be non-didactic, even if it is instructive.

Some have suggested that nearly all of the best poetry is didactic. Contrarily, Edgar Allan Poe called didacticism the worst of "heresies" in his essay The Poetic Principle.

Other examples of didactic literature include:

• Instructions for Parish Priests, by John Mirk
• the poem Georgics, by Virgil
• Tracts by Tomas Stitny
• the Jataka Tales
• New England Primer
• Goody Two-Shoes
• The Coquette

See also

• Art for art's sake

Didactic plays teach the audience through the use of a moral or a theme.

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