Poetics
Genre - Literary Criticism
Aristotle,
the greatest universal genius of the ancient world, who studied
and wrote on just about everything from metaphysics to botany,
was also the founder of literary criticism. His Poetics
is the most important work of literary theory which has survived
the ancient world and the most influential of all his works.
It served as the basis of Renaissance poetic theory and its influence
has been felt even in 20th century literary criticism.
Aristotle wrote the Poetics
about seventy-five years after the last of the great fifth century
tragedies had been written. His chief aim was to give advice
on writing tragedy to contemporary poets.1 Although
Aristotle presents many examples from fifth century tragedy to
illustrate his theories, his view of the ideal tragedy is based
on Sophocles's
Oedipus the King. For this reason,
Aristotle's theories are not always useful in the interpretation
of the tragedies of Aeschylus
and Euripides.
1Another
of Aristotle's purposes in writing the Poetics was to
answer the objections to dramatic poetry expressed by his teacher
Plato
in the Republic. Read sections 394c-398c and 602a-608b
in that work where Plato explains his reasons for banishing drama
from his ideal state. As you read the Poetics, be careful
to note how Aristotle responds to these objections.
EXERCISE FOR READING COMPREHENSION
AND INTERPRETATION
VI.2
How does Aristotle define
tragedy? What emotions are aroused by tragedy? What purpose does
tragedy serve?
IX 3-4
Why is poetry more philosophic
than history? How does Aristotle define "the universal"?
What is the aim of poetry?
IX 11-12
What qualities should
the incidents in a tragedy have?
X 1-3
What are the two kinds
of tragic plots? Explain how they are different from one another.
XI 1-5
What is a peripety?
What is a discovery? What is the best form of discovery?
XIII 2-3
What are the three forms
of plot to be avoided? Explain why each is inappropriate to tragedy.
What kind of plot best arouses pity and fear? Why does this kind
of plot best arouse these emotions? In the ideal form of tragedy
what is the cause of the protagonist's misfortune?
