The Classical Origins of Western Culture
The Core Studies 1 Study Guide
by Roger Dunkle
Brooklyn College Core Curriculum Series
Copyright © 1986 by Brooklyn College, The City University of New York
All rights reserved. Published 1986.
POETICS
Genre - Literary Criticism
Aristotle, the greatest universal genius of the ancient world, who studied
and wrote on just about everything from metaphysics to botany, was also
the founder of literary criticism. His Poetics is the most important work
of literary theory which has survived the ancient world and the most influential
of all his works. It served as the basis of Renaissance poetic theory and
its influence has been felt even in 20th century literary criticism.
Aristotle wrote the Poetics about seventy-five years after the last
of the great fifth century tragedies had been written. His chief aim was
to give advice on writing tragedy to contemporary poets.1 Although
Aristotle presents many examples from fifth century tragedy to illustrate
his theories, his view of the ideal tragedy is based on Sophocles's Oedipus
the King. For this reason, Aristotle's theories are not always useful in
the interpretation of the tragedies of Aeschylus and Euripides.
1Another of Aristotle's purposes in writing the Poetics was
to answer the objections to dramatic poetry expressed by his teacher Plato
in the Republic. Read sections 394c-398c and 602a-608b in that work where
Plato explains his reasons for banishing drama from his ideal state. As
you read the Poetics, be careful to note how Aristotle responds
to these objections.
EXERCISE FOR READING COMPREHENSION AND INTERPRETATION
VI.2
How does Aristotle define tragedy? What emotions are aroused by tragedy?
What purpose does tragedy serve?
IX 3-4
Why is poetry more philosophic than history? How does Aristotle define
"the universal"? What is the aim of poetry?
IX 11-12
What qualities should the incidents in a tragedy have?
X 1-3
What are the two kinds of tragic plots? Explain how they are different
from one another.
XI 1-5
What is a peripety? What is a discovery? What is the best form of discovery?
XIII 2-3
What are the three forms of plot to be avoided? Explain why each is inappropriate
to tragedy. What kind of plot best arouses pity and fear? Why does this
kind of plot best arouse these emotions? In the ideal form of tragedy what
is the cause of the protagonist's misfortune?
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