Poetics
Remains of an ancient Greek theater.
All of the fine arts we define as such today were considered by Arsitotle to be “poetry,” which is the art of imitation. Poems, drama, playing of musical instruments, drawing of pictures, etc., all attempt to imitate certain aspects of nature. However, most of his Poetics is about tragedy, comedy, and epic poetry.
The way all of the arts are different, he says, are a) the means which they use; b) the objects that are represented; and c) the manner in which they are presented. The means could be voice, color, rhythm, or harmony, for example, while the objects represented are different aspects of human nature. The manner in which the arts are presented could be, for example, a narrative, dialogue, or both, or also demonstration or bodily imitation of the actions.
Aristotle believes that the two reasons for the existence of poetry are two aspects of human nature: imitation and experience. Imitation is the way people learn from birth, and is also something that can be greatly appreciated by all. As Aristotle says, “all men by nature desire knowledge”, so they would want to experience different things through the imitations other create, even if they be unpleasant things such as death or sadness.
Tragedy, as defined by Aristotle, is imitation of events that arouse pity or fear in a dramatic form, and can during different parts be merely in verse or also accompanied by music. The six things said to make up a tragedy in its entirety are Plot, Characters, Diction, Thought, Spectacle, and Melody. Plot is the incidents that come up in the story, Character describes the qualities of people, Diction is the content of the verses, Thought is the application of the characters’ qualities to their actions, Spectacle is the showy part of the play, and Melody is the musical accompaniment.
Unfortunately, Aristotle’s work on comedy no longer exists, but he does write about epic poetry. Like drama, he says, epic poetry should be complete in itself and have a beginning, middle, and end, and also describe only one main action. Like tragedy, an epic poem must also be either simple or complex, and about either character or about suffering. All the main elements, not including Melody and Spectacle, must also be the same, with a focus on Thought and Diction.
The way all of the arts are different, he says, are a) the means which they use; b) the objects that are represented; and c) the manner in which they are presented. The means could be voice, color, rhythm, or harmony, for example, while the objects represented are different aspects of human nature. The manner in which the arts are presented could be, for example, a narrative, dialogue, or both, or also demonstration or bodily imitation of the actions.
Aristotle believes that the two reasons for the existence of poetry are two aspects of human nature: imitation and experience. Imitation is the way people learn from birth, and is also something that can be greatly appreciated by all. As Aristotle says, “all men by nature desire knowledge”, so they would want to experience different things through the imitations other create, even if they be unpleasant things such as death or sadness.
Tragedy, as defined by Aristotle, is imitation of events that arouse pity or fear in a dramatic form, and can during different parts be merely in verse or also accompanied by music. The six things said to make up a tragedy in its entirety are Plot, Characters, Diction, Thought, Spectacle, and Melody. Plot is the incidents that come up in the story, Character describes the qualities of people, Diction is the content of the verses, Thought is the application of the characters’ qualities to their actions, Spectacle is the showy part of the play, and Melody is the musical accompaniment.
Unfortunately, Aristotle’s work on comedy no longer exists, but he does write about epic poetry. Like drama, he says, epic poetry should be complete in itself and have a beginning, middle, and end, and also describe only one main action. Like tragedy, an epic poem must also be either simple or complex, and about either character or about suffering. All the main elements, not including Melody and Spectacle, must also be the same, with a focus on Thought and Diction.