Aristotle - Poetics( I, II, VI, VII) Explanation

 

 

POETICS

I

Aristotle says he will study poetry by explaining:

·         what poetry is,

·         the different kinds of poetry,

·         what makes a good plot,

·         and the main parts of a poem.

He begins with the basic principles.

Aristotle explains that all major art forms—epic poetry, tragedy, comedy, dithyrambic poetry, and music played on instruments like the flute and lyre—are forms of imitation (mimesis). This means they represent or imitate life.

These art forms differ in three main ways:

1.      Medium – what they use to imitate (language, rhythm, music).

2.      Objects – what they imitate (people, actions, emotions).

3.      Manner – how they imitate (narration, dialogue, action).

Some arts imitate using colour and shape (like painting), while others use voice or sound. Poetry and music mainly use rhythm, language, and harmony, either separately or together.

·         Flute and lyre music use rhythm and harmony.

·         Dance uses only rhythm but still imitates emotions and actions through movement.

·         Some arts use language alone, either in prose or verse. These did not have a clear name in Aristotle’s time.

Aristotle says people wrongly call someone a poet just because they write in verse. For example, a scientist writing in verse is not a poet. What makes someone a poet is imitation, not the metre. Homer is a poet because he imitates life; Empedocles, though he wrote in verse, is a philosopher, not a poet.

Some forms like tragedy, comedy, and dithyrambic poetry use language, rhythm, and music together. The difference between them lies in how these elements are combined.

In short, Aristotle explains how different art forms imitate life using different tools and methods.

II

Aristotle says that art imitates human actions. The people shown in art can be of three kinds:

1.      Better than real people

2.      Worse than real people

3.      Exactly like real people

This depends mainly on their moral character—whether they are shown as good or bad.

The same idea applies to painting. Some painters show people as more noble than they really are, some as less noble, and some realistically.

These differences also appear in other art forms like dance, music, and poetry.

·         In poetry, Homer shows people as better than real life.

·         Some writers show people as they are.

·         Others show people as worse, often for humour or satire.

This difference is clearly seen in Tragedy and Comedy:

·         Tragedy presents people as better and nobler than in real life.

·         Comedy presents people as worse, highlighting faults and weaknesses to create laughter.

So, different types of imitation create different kinds of art, based on how they represent human character.

VI

Aristotle explains what tragedy is and what parts make it effective.

A tragedy is a serious and complete story of a certain length. It is shown through actions on stage, not by narration. It uses beautiful language, including rhythm, music, and song. The purpose of tragedy is to create pity and fear in the audience and then cleanse (purify) these emotions.

Tragedy is performed by actors, so it includes spectacle (stage setting, costumes, visuals). It also uses song and diction (choice and arrangement of words).

Since tragedy imitates human action, it must include people who act. These people have character (moral qualities) and thought (ideas and reasoning). Actions come from character and thought, and actions decide success or failure.

Aristotle says every tragedy has six parts:

1.      Plot – the arrangement of events (most important)

2.      Character – the moral nature of the characters

3.      Thought – ideas, arguments, and messages

4.      Diction – the language and dialogue

5.      Song – music and chorus

6.      Spectacle – visual effects

Among these, plot is the most important. Tragedy imitates actions, not people. Characters are important, but they exist to serve the action. A tragedy cannot exist without action, but it can exist with weak character. Strong emotional moments like reversal of situation (peripeteia) and recognition are parts of the plot. These create the strongest tragic effect.

Aristotle says that even well-written speeches and strong characters cannot create a good tragedy without a good plot. This is like painting: clear outlines matter more than beautiful colours. After plot, character comes next in importance. Then comes thought, which includes reasoning, proving ideas, or stating general truths. Next is diction, or how ideas are expressed in words. Song adds beauty and emotional power. Spectacle, though attractive, is the least important, because it depends more on stage effects than on the poet’s skill.

In short, plot is the soul of tragedy, and all other elements support it.

VII

After setting the basic ideas, Aristotle explains the plot, which he says is the most important part of a tragedy.

A tragedy should show an action that is complete and whole, and it should be of a proper size—not too short and not too long. Something can be whole but still be too small to feel meaningful, so the plot must have enough length to be important.

A complete plot has three clear parts:

·         Beginning

·         Middle

·         End

The beginning is the starting point of the story. It does not come after anything else, but something naturally happens after it.

The end is the final part. It comes after other events and finishes the action. Nothing important happens after it.

The middle comes between the beginning and the end. It follows something before it and leads to something after it.

So, a good plot should be logical and well-organized. It should not start or finish randomly. Every event should follow naturally from what comes before and lead to what comes next.