Aristotle’s Poetics

Scott Chubb

http://www.press.uchicago.edu
 Tragedy
• 6 basic parts (in order of importance)
– Plot
– Character
– Thought
– Diction
– Song
– Spectacle
 Plot
• Sets down structure for plot
• Beginning and end
• Length and beauty
• Caution against misplaced events
 Types of plots
• Simple
• Complex
– Better
• “Plots are either Simple or Complex,
for the actions in real life, of which
the plots are an imitation, obviously
show a similar distinction.”
(Aristotle)
• Tragedy vs. Comedy
 Fear and Pity
• Two emotions that should be inspired
in audience
– Signs of a good tragedy
• Can be aroused by the spectacle, but
better if by the plot
 Characters
• “Tragedy is the imitation of an action,
and of the agents mainly with a
view to the action.” (Aristotle)
• Must be believable
 Influence
• Renaissance
– Castelvetro
– Humanism
• France
– Art of Poetry
 Works Cited
• Aristotle, and S H Butcher. "The Poetics of Aristotle." N.d.
Treatise.
• Cook, James Wyatt. "Poetics." Encyclopedia of Ancient
Literature. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's
Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc.
http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?
ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin=
EAncL0426&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 2,
2010).
• Cook, James Wyatt. "Poetics." Encyclopedia of Renaissance
Literature. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2006. Bloom's
Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc.
http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?
ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= ERL035&SingleRecord=True
(accessed February 2, 2010).
• Halliwell, Stephen, and Robert Forman. "The Poetics of
Aristotle: Translation and Commentary." Magill’s
Literary Annual. 197. Literary Reference Center.

  Web. 2 Feb. 2010. <http://search.ebscohost.com/

 Works Cited Pictures
• Cover of Aristotle's Poetics. N.d. The
University of Chicago Press. Web. 3
Feb.
2010.
<http://www.press.uchicago.edu/
presssite/metadata.epl
mode=synopsis&bookkey=363877
8>.