PoeticsThe writings of Greek philosopher ARISTOTLE (384BC 322BC) student of Plato, teacher of Alexander the Great are among the most influential on Western thought, and indeed upon Western civilization itself. From theology and logic to politics and even biology, there is no area of human knowledge that has not been touched by his thinking.Poetics one of Aristotle 's greatest works is the philosopher 's grand and insightful essay on art and its purposes. Why must a story have a beginning, a middle, and an end? How can we define tragedy, and what is the artistic purpose of it? Is there one ideal kind of drama? What is the nature of poetry? How consciously should poets and playwrights construct their work?All these questions, and others, are discussed and debated in this, perhaps the single most significant text in Western critical tradition. Writers, actors, students of literature, and armchair philosophers will find it a challenging and rewarding read. |
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action actors Aeschylus Alcmaeon bad fortune censure Chaeremon Chorus Cleophon Comedy composed composite significant sound construct the plot COSIMO BOOKS current or proper deed Deus ex Machina diction and thought difference distinct Dithyrambic drama effect elements Empedocles employed Epic poem Epic poetry episodes error Euripides example expressive of character fact false inference happen Hence Heracles Homer iambic Icarius Iliad incidents Iphigenia irrational kind lampooning language lengthening Little Iliad Lynceus magnitude medium of imitation metaphor metre modes of imitation non-significant sound noun number and nature objects Odysseus Odyssey Oedipus of Sophocles Orestes Peleus persons Philoctetes play pleasure poet Polygnotus Polyidus probability or necessity produce proper word rare words recognition Reversal rhythm says Scene sense single species spectacular means speech story strange or rare structure Theodectes thing Thyestes tion Trag Tragedy tragic unity Unravelling verse vowel whole Zeuxis δέ καὶ τε