Poetry is mimetic in that it creates a representation of objects and events in the world, unlike

philosophy, for example, which presents ideas.

it is mimetic, (2) it is serious, (3) it tells a full story of an appropriate length, (4) it contains rhythm
and harmony, (5) rhythm and harmony occur in different combinations in different parts of the
tragedy, (6) it is performed rather than narrated, and (7) it arouses feelings of pity and fear and
then purges these feelings through catharsis. A tragedy consists of six component parts, which
are listed here in order from most important to least important: plot, character, thought, diction,
melody, and spectacle.
The plot should be unified, meaning that every element of the plot should tie in to the rest of the
plot, leaving no loose ends.
express universal themes powerfully, which makes it superior to history, which can only talk
about particular events
The best kind of plot contains surprises, but surprises that, in retrospect, fit logically into the
sequence of events.
A well-formed plot must have a beginning, which is not a necessary consequence of any
previous action; a middle, which follows logically from the beginning; and an end, which follows
logically from the middle and from which no further action necessarily follows.
For a tragedy to arouse pity and fear, we must observe a hero who is relatively noble going from
happiness to misery as a result of error on the part of the hero.
The hero must have good qualities appropriate to his or her station and should be portrayed
realistically and consistently.
Whereas tragedy consists of actions presented in a dramatic form, epic poetry consists of verse
presented in a narrative form.
epic poetry can be longer than tragedy, and because it is not performed, it can deal with more
fantastic action with a much wider scope.
After defending poetry against charges that it deals with improbable or impossible events,
Aristotle concludes by weighing tragedy against epic poetry and determining that tragedy is on
the whole superior.

Aristotle was born in 384 BCE

- Student of Plato (Plato was a student of Socrates)

For 20 years
- Taught Alexander the Great and two other kings
- Found Lyceum
- Died in 322 BCE
- Very influential in all of Western history.
- Studied and wrote books on a lot of science
Aesthetics were the studies of nature and art and beauty
Poiesis meant making
Aristotles public works were not intended for publication
The Poetics were rescued and recopied about 200 years later, but often erroneously
Originally included treatises on both tragedy and comedy
Only the work on tragedy
Plato thought that drama, especially tragedy, was dangerous because it encouraged irrationality
Aristotle believed that all humans craved knowledge
Poems are in a rhythmic language and melody
Medium - written or spoken language
Object - the subject matter of the poetry
Mode - epic, tragedy, comedy, etc.

Tragedy Medium - Language made pleasurable

Object - an action that involves admirable people (better than are) and evokes pity and fear
Mode- performed b actors, not narrated (as in epic)
PoetryNecessary and probable connection of plot
Protagonist is like us (but better)
Mimesis- Imitation or representation
Katharis - purification of emotions (cleansing of emotions)
Peripeteia- Reversal of fortune
Anagnorisis- Recognition of the truth
- Best by discovery of natural means
Hamartia- a tragic flaw, weakness of character or error in judgement
Energeia- Energy - The movement of spirit
- Praxis - motivation
- Poieses - to make something
- Theoria - To grasp and understand some truth
Mythos - Plot
Ethos - Character
- Structure of a persons moral disposition (not either quirks and details of individuality)
Lexis- Diction or speech
Melos- Melody
Opsis- Spectacle

Mimesis Imitates live in some way

Mimesis can lead to knowledge