Outline

1.0 Introduction

2.0 The Concept of form

3.0 The concept of Mimesis or representation

4.0 The concept of catharsis

5.0 Conclusion

1.0 Introduction

Aesthetics is the branch of philosophy concerned with the nature and appreciation of art, beauty

and good taste. It has also been defined as “critical reflection on art, culture and nature”. The

word “aesthetics” is from the Greek “aisthetikos”, meaning “of sense perception”. 1 The word

‘aesthetikos’ is gotten from another Greek word ‘aisthanomai’ which means, “I perceive”, “I

feel” related to ‘aesthesis’ meaning sensation. ‘Aesthetics’ was coined by a German

Philosopher Alexander Baumgarten as the title of his main book “Aesthetica”, in 1735.

Aristotle did not use the term, ‘aesthetics’ but ‘mimêtikê’ which literally means the art of

producing a mimesis. Mimesis is the basic theoretical principle in the creation of art. The word is

Greek and means “imitation” (though in the sense of “representation” rather than of “copying”).2

2.0 The Concept of form

Aristotle does not believe like Plato in the existence of the ideal world, where there is the real

form of every objects found in nature. He does not deal with the ideal world, instead he analyses

1
Department of philosophy, University of Geogia, Athens, “Aesthetics,” accessed on March 26, 2023,
http//phil.uga.edu/research/content/aesthetics#
2
Encyclopedia Britannica, Global ed., s.v. “Mimesis, ” accessed on March 26, 2023,
http://www.britannica.com/art/mimesis
nature. He argues that a work of art does not imitate nature as it is, but as it should be. In this

sense, an artist does not violate the truth but reflects the reality.

3.0 The concept of Mimesis or representation

Linguistically, the root word is ‘mimos’; mimesthia, mimesis, mimetes, mimetikos, and mimema

are derived from ‘mimos’. Mimesthia denotes imitation, representation or portrayal; mimos and

mimetes designate the person who imitates or represents. Aristotle states that all human actions

are mimetic and that men learn through imitation. In particular, ‘mimesis’ is the distinguishing

quality of an artist. He argues that ‘public classifies all those who write in meter as poets and

completely misses the point that the capacity to produce an imitation is the essential quality of

the poet.3 The poet is distinguished from the rest of mankind with the ‘essential ability to

produce imitation’. A poet may imitate in one of three styles in poetry; he may use pure

narrative, in which he speaks in his own person without imitation, as in the dithyrambs, or he

may use mimetic narrative and speaks in the person of his characters, as in comedy and tragedy.

A poet may use mixed narrative, in which he speaks now in his own person and now in the

person of his character, as in epic poetry.4 Mimetic poetry may also differ according to the object

of imitation. In this respect, tragedy differs from comedy in that it makes its characters better

rather than worse.

‘Mimesis’, particularly, becomes a central term when Aristotle discusses the nature and function

of art. In the Poetics, he defines tragedy as:

‘as an imitation of human action that is serious, complete and of a certain

magnitude; in language embellished with every kind of artistic ornament, the

various kinds being found in different parts of the play; it represents man in

3
Aristotle, Poetic, The Critical Tradition, Classic Texts and Contemporary Trends, p.43.
4
Mckeon,R., The Concept of Imitation in Classical age, Critics and Criticism Essays in Method by Group of Chicago
Critics, p. 129
 action rather than using narrative, through pity and fear effecting the proper

purgation of these emotion’. 5

Aristotle is interested in the form of imitation and goes on to consider plot, character, diction,

thought, spectacle and song as constituting elements of a typical tragedy. The action of plot must

be complete in itself with a proper beginning, middle and an end. All parts of action must be

equally essential to the whole. Each part of the tragedy is imitation itself. Character in tragedy

imitates the action of noble man who has to be a man of some social standing and personal

reputation, but he has to be presented us in terms of his weaknesses because it is his weakness

that will make his fall believable. Aristotle thinks that all types of art are mimetic but each may

differ in the manner, means, and object of imitation. Music imitates in sound and rhythm,

painting in color and poetry in action and word.6

Aristotle’s ‘mimesis’ does not refer to the imitation of Idea and appearances, like that of Plato.

He argues that each area of knowledge is imitation in the sense that as a human being we all

learn through imitation. However, he carefully makes a distinction between different kinds of

knowledge. For instance, he claims that art and philosophy deal with different kind of truth;

philosophy deals with concrete and absolute truth, whereas art deals with aesthetic and universal

truth. The difference, for instance, between mimetic poetry and history is stated as ‘one writes

about what has actually happened, while the other deals with what might happen’ 7. Art, unlike

science, doesn’t abstract universal form but imitates the form of individual things and unites the

separate parts presenting what is universal and particular. Therefore, the function of poetry is not

to portray what has happened but to portray what may have happened in accord with the

principle of probability and necessity. Since poetry deals with universal truth, history considers

5
Dutton, R.A., Introduction to Literary Criticism, p.21
6
Hasan baktir, the concept of imitation in plato and Aristotle, P. 173
7
Aristotle, Poetic, The Critical Tradition, Classic Texts and Contemporary Trends, p. 48
only particular facts; poetry is more philosophical and deserves more serious attention. In

addition, aesthetic representation of reality is not technical, factual, philosophical, and historical.8

Mimesis, as Aristotle takes it, is an active aesthetic process. He argues that ‘imitation is given us

by nature and men are endowed w0ith these gifts, gradually develop them and finally create the

art of poetry.9 The poet does not imitate reality but brings reality into existence through

‘mimesis’. The poet recreates and reorganizes already known facts and presents them in a fresh

and attractive way;

4.0 The concept of catharsis

Aristotle coined the term catharsis which comes from the Greek ‘kathairein’ meaning “to cleanse

or purge” to describe the release of emotional tension that he believed spectators experienced

while watching dramatic tragedy. Aristotle believed that an audience’s ability to feel the same

emotion as those displayed by actors onstage is an integral part of the experience of watching

theatre and through this experience audiences can learn to regulate their emotions in real life.10

5.0 Conclusion

Aristotle’s views on aesthetics are primarily presented in his work “Poetics,” which is a treatise

on literary theory and the nature of tragedy. Aristotle believed that art imitates life, and that the

purpose of art is to represent universal truths about human experience.

According to Aristotle, the three main components of a successful work of art are plot, character,

and language. He believed that the plot should be well-constructed and follow a logical sequence

of events, the characters should be believable and have recognizable human qualities, and the

language should be appropriate to the subject matter and convey a sense of beauty.

8
Hasan baktir, the concept of imitation in plato and Aristotle, P. 174
9
Aristotle, Poetic, The Critical Tradition, Classic Texts and Contemporary Trends, p.43.
10
Litcharts.com, “Catharsis”, Accessed on 01 April, 2023, http://Litcharts.com/literary-devices-and-terms/catharsis
Aristotle also believed that tragedy was the highest form of art, because it allowed the audience

to experience a range of emotions, including fear, pity, and catharsis (a sense of emotional

release or purification). He believed that tragedy should focus on the experiences of noble

characters who suffer a downfall as a result of their own flaws, rather than on common people or

criminals.

Overall, Aristotle’s views on aesthetics emphasized the importance of beauty, harmony, and

universality in art, as well as the ability of art to evoke powerful emotions and reveal truths about

the human condition.