Aristotle's Poetics

• Aristotle was a student of Sophocles
• Aristotle's Poetics is described as his way of analyzing Greek literature

About Aristotle

• Aristotle lived from 384-322 BC
• His interests included the natural world, logic, ethics, metaphysics, and poetry

From Poetics

• Tragedy is defined as the representation of an action that is serious, complete and of a certain magnitude (size)
• Tragedy employs garnished language in various forms (different language)
• Garnished language includes rhythm and melody (when said)
• Various Forms include spoken meter or lyric song (when sung)
• Dramatic enactment (meant to be acted out) must be visual as opposed to verbal, meaning the performers must work on stage
• Tragedy arouses pathos (pity and fear) within the audience/reader
• Tragedy results in catharsis (purging of emotion)
• Catharsis involves psychological purging or release from a vicarious experience
• Catharsis is defined as a powerful release of emotion which has a healthy effect on the emotions and personality

Six Elements of Tragedy

• The six elements of tragedy are explained in order of importance in sections III-VIII
• Plot Structure (action)
• Character
• Thought (ideas & how they are presented logically)
• Style/Diction/Word choice
• Lyric Poetry (song)
• Spectacle (visual appeal of performance)

Plot Structure

• A complex plot is a representation of action, pertaining to life (not people)
• Actions move from good to bad (happiness to unhappiness) or peripeteia
• There are three components to plot structure
• Peripeteia
• Aka Reversal of the situation
• Involves a complete and startling change or twist in the direction of action
• Does not necessarily change from prosperity to adversity, but change in direction of plot
• Anagnorisis
• Aka recognition or key discovery
• The change from ignorance to knowledge
• Either brings characters to a close bond or separates them by disguise
• Pathos
• Brings about pity and fear in the audience
• Aka suffering
• Pathos is always a painful action or destruction (ex: death or painful injury)
• The best plot has peripeteia occurring in conjunction with anagnorisis (recognition)
• No deus ex machina
• Literally, god by machine
• Historically, showed crane-like instrument used to bring gods onstage
• Literary meaning, Gods are in control

Character

• Tragic character should be fairly realistic
• Not completely virtuous/not all good or all bad
• Falls into misfortune not because of evil of character, but because of Hamartia (bad decision or judgement)
• Error in judgement, flaw, or mistake
• Often times exhibits hubris (excessive pride)
• Lacks sophrosyne (knowledge-make a bad call), which is the need to know limitations, live in moderation, and take the middle path
• High title or position, reflects moral avarice with a lack of knowledge

Thought

• Thought is the capacity to produce logical and appropriate verbal expression and arguments
• Lyric poetry is poetic verse (written in stanzas not prose), intended to be sung by a chorus or chanted

Spectacle

• Spectacle is a visual performance (i.e. what you see)
• It includes actors, masks, robes, visual effects, limited scenery such as wheeled show/display platforms and moved characters