Aristotle’s Poetics

By: Laura Franey, Ben Hampson, Austin Van Wingerden, Mike Cerniglia, Kellie

Quinn & Brittany Lane

Aristotle believes that all tragedies should

have six different elements. Tragedy shows people rather than just telling

them. When talking philosophically, tragedy is

greater than history. Because tragedy has a very realistic cause

and effect chain, people can experience pity or fear believing that the situation will apply to them.

What is a Tragedy?

Plot is the arrangement of incidents presented

to the audience. Good Tragedies have the outcome depend on

a cause-and-effect chain. Has a beginning, middle, and end. The beginning has an incentive movement. It also contains the middle, or climax. The end, or resolution, solves the problem

created in the incentive movement.

Plot

The chain occurring between the incentive

movement and climax is called the complication. The Denouement is from the climax to

the resolution. Should have unity. Must also have a certain magnitude. Plots could be both simple or complex,

but most of the time it’s complex. Complex plots contain peripeteia and anagnorisis,

then lastly comes the catastrophe.

Plot (Continued)

This is the third most important thing in a

play. When something is proved to be or not to be. Aristotle doesn’t use thought very much

throughout his career. It also includes theme in a play.

ThoughtI wonder……

This is the fourth most important step in a play.

This is the expression of the meaning in words.

It tells what words are proper and appropriate to the plot, character, and end of the tragedy.

Aristotle uses this when he discusses the stylistic elements of tragedy.

Diction

Also known as Melody This is the fifth most important step. It is the musical element of a play. This is becoming less important now. Aristotle argues that the chorus should

be more involved in plays than they are.

It should also contribute to the unity of a play says Aristotle.

Song

It is the least connected to

literature. The spectacular effects depends

more on that of the writer. Aristotle realizes the emotional

attraction of spectacle, but he thinks that great poetry focuses on the inner structure of the play.

Spectacle

This is at the end of the tragedy. It is known as the cleansing of the

tragic emotions. These emotions are

usually pity and fear. This is also the

shortest part.

Katharsis

Second most important part of the play

after the plot. They help the audience feel the pain or any

emotion the character is supposed to feel. If the character has hamartia, they cannot

get away from it.

Characters

All characters must have certain qualities: All characters have a place in social structure. The roles of men and women are very stereotyped. They must be realistic. Characters need to stay as their character. Characters must make sense to the play and have a

reason for being in the play. Need to be more beautiful than real people.

Characters (Continued)

The hero is punished more than he/she

should be. While the hero loses many things,

he/she also gain knowledge through his/her experience.

Tragedies are very sad, but they are not depressing. Greek drama is not “entertaining.” It was used for the good health of the people.

Tragic Heroes

A tragic hero is a character

who is noble and great. Although the tragic hero is

great and has higher statues, they’re not perfect.

There is a downfall, partially his/her own fault, not of an accident.

Tragic Heroes (Continued)

Thank you

for watching!