Therefore, most of us know the classic structure of all drama but may now choose to watch the drama at the cinema or on tv rather than the theatre. Fear and pity fear and pity may be aroused by spectacular means. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Poetics is the basis of western drama and is used by playwrights and screenwriters alike and is a standard text book in hollywood. The term mimesis is used in greek to mean imitation. The purpose of aristotles poetics article pdf available in classical philology 1101. This brief text, through its various interpretations and applications from the renaissance onward, has had. Part xii the parts of tragedy which must be treated as elements of the whole have been already mentioned. Francis fergusson 19041986 was a harvard and oxfordeducated teacher and critic, a theorist of drama and mythology who wrote the idea of a theater, princeton, 1949 arguably the best and most influential book about drama written by an american. Aristotle poetics introductory essay by francis fergusson through his monumental work, the poetics, aristotle has paved the way for playwrights, actors and theater thinkers, for centuries on end. The prime source of all existing texts of the poetics is the eleventh century paris manuscript, no.
Aristotles poetics introduction, by francis fergusson i propose to treat of poetry in itself and of its various kinds, noting the essential quality of each september2412 9. See all 23 formats and editions hide other formats and. Aristotles poetics is here presented in a unique edition together with related extracts from plato and more modern responses to aristotle from sir philip sidney, shelley, and dorothy l. You may copy it, give it away or reuse it under the terms of the project gutenberg license included with this ebook or online at. Francis fergusson concluded his life in december 1986 at the princeton hospital in new jersey at the age of eightytwo. Complexity and pleasure in tragedy aristotle 384322 bc first, the instinct of imitation is implanted in man from childhood, one difference between him and other animals being that he is the most imitative of living creatures, and through imitation learns his earliest lessons. Margoliouth, now assign any independent value, but they contain useful. Aristotle, though a disciple of plato disagreed with some of platos contention. From the poetics by aristotle devoted to literary criticism, only the first part mainly dedicated to the tragedy was received. Aristotles poetics mass market paperback january 1, 1968 by francis fergusson author 4. Poetics introduction aristotles poetics is probably the most important single book that has ever been written about poetry, both for what it says and for what it has been taken. Introduced by francis fergusson, the poetics, written in the fourth century b. All content included on our site, such as text, images, digital downloads and other, is the property of its content suppliers and protected by us and international laws. A cognitive interpretation of aristotles concepts of.
This portable document file is furnished free and without any charge of any kind. Aristotles teacher, plato, wrote extensively about painting and poetry. Written in the 4th century bc, it is the work of a scholar who. It has been used by both playwrights and theorists of many periods, and interpreted, in the course of its two thousand years of life, in various ways. If the ethics and the politics are practical sciences, concerned w selfdirected action, then the poetics and the rhetoric are productive not just in the sense that a poem or a. However, his theories and ideas remain as some of the most influential to the world of theater. Long forgotten by commentators, it nevertheless had a great influence, since aristotles poetics has given birth to three concepts crucial for psychology, social sciences, and philosophy of art. His former student, robert pinsky, would become poet laureate in 1997 and consultant in poetry to the library of congress.
Part i i propose to treat of poetry in itself and of its various kinds, noting the essential quality of each, to inquire into the structure of the plot as requisite to a good poem. Terms in this set 38 according to aristotle, what is his purpose in writing poetics. In our age,when the natural and social sciences have dominated the quest for truth, it is helpful to consider why aristotle claimed that poetry is more philosophical and. Read by robert foster aristotles poetics from the 4th century b. College, chhachharauli the poetics is quite correctly considered to be a covert. Aristotles politics is a key document in western political thought. We now come to the quantitative parts the separate parts into which tragedy is divided namely, prologue, episode, exode, choric song. While no one can deny the value of aristotles poetics, the world has evolved and the demands of theater have changed, rendering many aristotelian principles obsolete and, in fact, damaging to modern tragedy. Aristotles poetics is best known for its definition and analysis of tragedy, but his reflections also apply to the other arts because tragedy incorporates all of them. Poetics aristotle notes, summary and analysis youtube.
Butcher poetics1 ii propose to treat of poetry in itself and of its various kinds, noting the essential quality of each, to inquire into the structure of the plot as requisite to a good poem. What are the salient features of aristotles the poetics. Aristotles poetics aims to give an account of poetry. Aristotle does this by attempting to explai n poetry through first principles, and by classifying poetry into it s different genres and component parts. In book i he argues vigorously for a political theory based on nature. The project gutenberg ebook of poetics, by aristotle this ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. The poetics is, as far as we know, the first ever work of literary theory. In constructing the plot and working it out with the proper diction, the poet should place the scene, as far as possible, before his eyes. Aristotles concept of tragedy aristotle defines tragedy as a tragedy, then, is the imitation of an action that is serious, has magnitude, and is complete in itself. What constitutes tragic action etext aristotles poetics xiii plot continued. It discusses things like unity of plot, reversal of situation, and character in the context of greek tragedy, comedy and epic poetry. To the manuscripts of the renaissance few, except dr. Xvii practical rules for the tragic poet etext aristotles poetics xvii practical rules for the tragic poet.
To explore the details of poetry and its various types, and to investigate the structure of a good poem and what makes the poem good. In these first two books aristotle shows his complete mastery of political theory and practice, and raises many crucial issues still with us today. Overview guide terms lives times questions resources. Francis fergusson is the author of aristotles poetics 3. Butcher is a publication of the pennsylvania state university. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. The centerpiece of aristotles work is his examination of tragedy. Pdf this paper provides an overview and commentary of aristotles theory of poetry, of drama, and of narrative structure, as presented the poetics find, read and cite all the research you. Any person using this document file, for any purpose, and in any way does so at his or her own risk. Aristotles poetics has many important features, from its influence on literary theory, to the notion of catharsis, to its description of the elements and rules of tragedy before the poetics. Aristotles main treatment of mimesis occurs in his poetics. Suman assistant professor department of english govt. Poetics by aristotle in doc, fb2, fb3 download ebook. His readable, illuminating edition of aristotles poetics hill and wang, 1961, with fergussons introduction and notes, remains in print.
By nature, man is a political animal, one naturally fitted for life in a polis or state. The literature which has accumulated around it is, as mr. Poetics aristotle aristotles poetics aims to give an account of poetry. In it, aristotle offers an account of what he calls poetry a term that derives from a classical greek term. Aristotle poetics aristotles poetics introduction by. Melvyn bragg and his guests discuss aristotles poetics. The rhetoric of aristotle with a commentary, revised by. As the sequel to what has already been said, we must proceed to consider what the poet should aim at, and what he should avoid, in constructing his plots. The poetics and the rhetoric are productive sciences. Like many important documents in the history of philosophy and literary theory, aristotles poetics, composed around 330 bce, was most likely preserved in the form of students lecture notes.
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