1. Aristotle’s On Poetics
In this unit we will discuss Aristotle’s On Poetics, which consists of his views on all forms of literary art, especially tragedy.

2. Aristotle By the end of this lecture, you are expected to learn about:
evaluate Plato’s and Aristotle’s Theory of Mimesis;
explain Aristotle’s definition of Tragedy;
list six parts of tragedy;
evaluate the importance of Plot and Character; and
discuss critical issues in evaluating tragedy as better form of literature than other.

3. 5-Who is Aristotle? (384-322 BC)
a Greek philosopher, thinker and critic.
Plato’s student.
the father of drama (the first one who laid the principles of tragedy).

4. Plato & Aristotle
Ironically, the first objection to Plato’s theory of mimesis came form his disciple, Aristotle, the first theorist to defend literature and poetry in his Poetics against Plato’s objection.
He laid the “first principles” or theory of “poetry,” which he defines mainly as drama, or TRAGEDY.
How did Aristotle reply to Plato’s Objection to poetry?
What is his main literary philosophy?
How did Aristotle differ in his Theory of Mimesis from Plato?

5. What is his main literary philosophy?
Aristotle agrees with Plato in calling
the poet an imitator, and
creative art imitation.
Both argue that the artist imitates nature, thus a work of art is a reflection of nature.
He imitates one of the three objects –
things as they were/are (what is past or present),
things as they are said/thought to be (what is commonly believed), or
things as they ought to be (what is ideal).

6. Poet & instinct
However, they have different views about the functions of imitation in art and literature:
For Aristotle, there is natural pleasure in imitation which is in-born instinct in men.
This pleasure enables the child to learn his earliest lessons in speech and conduct from those around him.
In a grown up child, there is another instinct, helping him to make him a poet; i.e. the instinct for harmony and rhythm.

7. Poetry is healthy to society. poetry is an imitation of man in action
In The Poetics, Aristotle disagrees with his master Plato. While Plato argues that art is a an imitation of imitation, Aristotle believes that imitation does not mean copying life as it is, but it is representing the human nature.
For Plato art is harmful and dangerous, Aristotle believed that if you encounter a work of art, you’ll be purified, harmonized and you will become a better human being.
Aristotle tries to prove that
Poetry is healthy to society.
He argues that
poetry is an imitation of man in action
i.e. in tragedy the writer imitates people’s perfect and positive actions rather than their characters.

8. (Greek) Tragedy= Goat song
The word tragedy literally means "goat song," probably referring to the practice of giving a goat as a sacrifice or a prize at the religious festivals in honor of the god Dionysos.

9. Aristotle’s Definition of Tragedy
“Tragedy, then, is an imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude; in the language embellished with each kind of artistic ornament, the several kinds being found in separate parts of the play; in the form of action, not of narrative; through pity and fear effecting the proper purgation-catharsis of these and similar emotions (translated by S. H. Butcher)
Therefore, he considers tragedy the noblest form of poetry in his time, because it imitates an action and arouses pity and fear (pathos)
Tragedy is a dramatic presentation of high seriousness (noble actions) of noble heroes better than they are,
COMEDY (-) = Imitates the actions of inferior men, vices, “the ridiculous”, error, ugliness, worse than they are.

10. Catharsis
“… through pity and fear effecting the proper purgation-catharsis of these and similar emotions ”
Tragedy provides audience with:
- the pleasure that comes from pity and fear by way of imitation. (in)
an outlet for the dangerous emotions of pity and fear. (out)
This effect is called “kathar” [the peculiar tragic pleasure, the feeling of being washed or cleansed]

11. Unlike Plato who said that poets lack creative powers and should be banished from society, Aristotle argues that this world is real but incomplete, so the poet seeks to complete it through the imitation. Thus, poets are both imitators and creators.
Q. Compare Aristotle’s conception of imitation with that of Plato? Q. What are the errors into which Plato fell according to Aristotle?

12. Altar with Scene from a Greek Tragedy (about 400-350 BC)

13. Aristotle’s Six Parts of Tragedy
“Every Tragedy, therefore, must have six parts, which parts determine its quality—namely, Plot, Characters, Thought, Diction, Melody, Spectacle.” Poetics
A work of tragedy should consist of the following elements:
plot,
character,
thought,
diction,
melody, and
spectacle.

14. Elements of Tragedy
Plot or mythos: or representation of arranged incidents and actions in the story.
Character: the moral qualities of an agent.
Thought: the intellectual qualities of an agent.
Diction: the composition of the verses of dialogues.
Melody/lyrical songs
Spectacle: the overall visual appearance of the stage and the actors—i.e. the costumes and setting.

15. The Plot Aristotle argues that:
Among these six, the plot is the most important.
The plot of a tragedy (a tragic plot) should be:
logical and flow in a reasonable and realistic manner.
The best tragic plot is single and complex.
without action there cannot be tragedy
at the same time characters are required to do action.

16. The Hero’s Understanding Anagnorisis
A change from ignorance to knowledge realizing the cause of misery to each catharsis,
The protagonist (tragic hero) moves from good fortune to disaster then to death.
The tragic hero has a “moment of enlightenment” near the end of the story.
Tragic hero understands what he has done wrong—how he contributed to the tragic situation.
The story often ends with the death of the tragic hero.

17. The Hero’s Understanding
Pity and fear/ suffering/ pathos/ catharisis
Noble (or aristocratic)
The ability to achieve greatness (but who through a weakness, or tragic flaw in his character, falls into the depths of misery and often to his death)

19. Oedipus Tyrannus by SOPHOCLES

20. Aristotle's distinction between poetry and history:
History tells us what actually happened; poetry what may happen.
History expresses the particular, poetry the universal.
Poetry rises from the particular to the general.
Poetry is thus equated with philosophy in that both are means to a higher truth.
In this way, he exhibits the superiority of poetry over history.

21. Self-Assessment Questions (SAQs)
Aristotle’s well-known treatises are: a. Dialogues. b. Poetics and Rhetoric. c. Poetry and drama. d. Tragedy and epic.
2. Say whether the following statement is true or false:
“ Aristotle did not agree with Plato in calling the poet an imitator and creative art, imitation.” a. True b. False c. Cannot say

22. Self-Assessment Questions (SAQs)
Choose the right option:
Tragedy is an imitation of …
a. an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain
magnitude.
b. several kinds being found in separate parts of the play. c. in the form of action, not of narrative. d. through pity and fear effecting the proper purgation-
catharsis of these and similar emotions.
2. Complete:
Unlike Plato who said that poets lack ……………… and should be ……………… from society, Aristotle argues that this world is ………………. but ……………., so the poet seeks to complete it through the ……………... Thus, poets are both …………………… and …………………...

23. Self-Assessment Questions (SAQs)
Choose the right option:
Which of the following attributes best describes Aristotelian ‘Tragic Hero’?
1. A good man – coming to bad end. 2. A bad man – coming to good end. 3. A bad man – coming to bad end.
4. A rather good man – coming to bad end. (to arouse the feelings of pity and fear among the audience)

24. Reflections: Do you agree with the following statements? V X
The horror movie is a kind of medicine that does its work and leaves the soul healthier; however, it can also be a potentially addictive drug.

25. • Study Questions
1. What is the difference between Aristotle and Plato’s conceptions of literature and art?
2. What is the difference between poetry and history according to Aristotle?
3. Why did Plato feel literature and art to be a dangerous social and political force?
4. How did Aristotle help to create the field of literary theory?
5. How did Aristotle conceptualize the proper form of tragedy?