LiteratureLesson 4 of 5 in the course Drama

Aristotle’s Poetics: Mimesis, Tragedy, Plot, and Reception

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

This lesson introduces Aristotle’s Poetics, its historical importance, and its account of poetry as representation. It establishes the framework needed to understand his later analysis of tragedy.

Composed around 335 BCE, Aristotle’s Poetics is the earliest surviving work of Greek dramatic theory and the first surviving philosophical treatise devoted solely to literary theory. The Greek title, Peri poietikês, refers to the poetic art; poiētēs means a poet, author, or maker.

All flashcards

What is Aristotle’s Poetics?
A surviving ancient Greek treatise on poetic art and dramatic theory, composed around 335 BCE and focused chiefly on tragedy and epic.
What does mimesis mean in the Poetics?
Mimesis means imitation, representation, or expression. Aristotle uses it to describe a shared function of poetic forms.
What three features distinguish poetic forms?
Their means of representation, the kinds of people or subjects represented, and their mode of presentation.
What is the mode of tragedy?
Tragedy presents characters speaking and acting directly rather than relying on a narrator to tell the story.
What happened to the second book of the Poetics?
It was lost. It is generally thought to have treated comedy, while the surviving first part focuses mainly on tragedy and epic.

Quiz questions

  1. In Aristotle’s definition, which emotions does tragedy arouse?Answer: Pity and fear.
  2. What gives a tragic plot unity, according to Aristotle?Answer: Its incidents connect through probability or necessity.
  3. Which element does Aristotle regard as least artistic and least connected with the poet’s craft?Answer: Spectacle, including visible stage effects.
  4. Why does Aristotle consider poetry more philosophical than history?Answer: Poetry represents general patterns of plausible human action.
  5. What artistic advantage does Aristotle attribute to tragedy in comparison with epic?Answer: It can concentrate its effect and present action directly.

Based on the Wikipedia article Poetics (Aristotle), licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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