Brandeis University
Spring semester, 2003
ENG 171A: History of Literary Criticism
Miles Rind
January 24, 2003
OUTLINE OF ARISTOTLE'S POETICS
Adapted from the translation of Richard Janko
(Indianapolis: Hackett Books, 1987). Italics indicates parts not included
in the assigned reading.
| Chapter | Subject | |
| I | The field of the inquiry
Poetry is a kind of imitation using rhythm, speech, and melody We have no term for "imitation by means of language" (whether prose or verse) The kinds of poetry are classified by-- (a) the media of the imitation |
|
| II | (b) the objects of the imitation | |
| III |
(c) the manner of the imitation, i.e. narrative or dramatic
Why "drama" and "comedy" are so named |
|
| IV | The origins of tragedy, comedy and epic
The origins of poetry The early development of serious and humorous poetry The development of tragedy |
|
| V | The development
of comedy
The nature of epic compared to that of tragedy |
|
| VI | The nature of tragedy
The definition of tragedy The deduction of the qualitative parts of tragedy from its nature Plot is the most important part of tragedy The nature and importance of tragedy's other parts |
|
| VII | The nature
of plot
Plot should imitate a single complete action of the proper magnitude |
|
| VIII | The unity of plot does not come from imitating a single person | |
| IX |
Poetry should imitate universals, not particulars
The kinds of plot The episodic plot Plots that arouse amazement |
|
| X | Simple and complex plots | |
| XI | The parts
of plot
Reversal Recognition Suffering |
|
| XII | The quantitative parts of tragedy | |
| XIII | How tragedy can best achieve its function
Plot in tragedy The deduction of the best change of fortune The tragedians' practice confirms this Critics of this change of fortune are misguided Plot, not spectacle, can best achieve the function of tragedy |
|
| XIV |
The deduction of the best type of incidents
Character in tragedy |
|
| XV |
Requirements for tragic character
Coherence is needed in character and in plot How to imitate undesirable traits of character Common types of error in tragedy The kinds of recognition, and which is best |
|
| XVI | The poet should visualize the action, and feel with his characters | |
| XVII |
The poet should construct his plots in outline first
The two parts of tragedy: complication and solution |
|
| XVIII |
The four kinds of tragedy
The poet should aim to succeed in all the parts of tragedy The plot should be unified, not episodic or merely amazing The chorus should relate to the plot Reasoning in tragedy |
|
| XIX | Diction
in tragedy
Delivery is not part of the art of poetry The parts of diction |
|
| XX | The kinds of names | |
| XXI |
Classified according to quantity, i.e. single or compound
Classified according to quality, i.e. usage and form Classified according to quality, i.e. gender How diction can best achieve its function |
|
| XXII |
The critics of poetic diction are misguided
How to use diction appropriately |
|
| XXIII | Epic poetry
How epic resembles tragedy The plot of epic should imitate a single complete action Homer's practice confirms this Epic has the same kinds and qualitative parts as tragedy |
|
| XXIV | How epic differs
from tragedy
Common types of error in epic The best manner of imitation in epic How best to use improbability in epic To produce amazement To produce false inference How to avoid mistakes in using improbability How best to use elaborate diction in epic Questions raised about epic, and their solutions |
|
| XXV |
Basic principles for finding solutions
The twelve solutions to questions raised about poetry The six solutions dependent on the art itself The six solutions dependent on diction Critics are often misguided Summary, based on the main kinds of problem A comparison between epic and tragedy The argument in favor of epic |
|
| XXVI |
Objections to the argument in favor of epic
Arguments in favor of tragedy |
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