Aristotle s poetics is one of the most powerful, perceptive and influential works of criticism in western literary history. A 1947 short story by jorge luis borges, averroes s search spanish. Poetics by aristotle, part of the internet classics archive. The poetics contains aristotles observations on what elements and characteristics. This paper provides an overview and commentary of aristotles theory of poetry, of drama, and of narrative structure, as presented the poetics. Averroes s three short commentaries on aristotle s topics, rhetoric, and poetics studies in islamic philosophy and science 1st edition. Unfortunately, it is one of only thirty one surviving treatises by aristotle of over two hundred he wrote. Poetics was properly translated in italy during the italian renaissance and the time of shakespeare in 1600. Borgess appropriations of literary theory are mischievous, undermining the grand, universalizing claims of theory. Aristotle certainly knew the passage, and it looks as if his treatise on poetry was an answer to platos challenge. Among the most influential books in western civilization, aristotles poetics is really a treatise on fine art.
Rhetoric, and above all, the poetics, had an immense effect on literary theory after the renaissance. At some point, aristotles original work was divided in two, each book written on a separate roll of papyrus. Greek was very much a live language, and a language still unconscious of grammar, not, like ours, dominated by definitions and trained upon dictionaries. Buy poetics penguin classics new ed by aristotle isbn. Aristotle born 384 bc was a philosopher, pupil of plato and author of numerous works including his poetics, one of the most influential tracts in world theatre. In book i he argues vigorously for a political theory based on nature. It discusses things like unity of plot, reversal of situation, and character in the context of greek tragedy, comedy and epic poetry. Literature listed here, are only the books on dramaturgy and the like and some of them are in swedish, my native tongue. The rhetoric and the poetics of aristotle paperback december 17, 2012. Aristotle believes the art of good dramatic tragedy is personified by the works of the popular greek playwright sophocles.
In the afterwords of the story, borges comments, i felt that the story mocked me, foiled me, thwarted me. Poetry is more philosophical than history, according to aristotle, because in order to unfold a plot in a manner that is convincing to the audience, the poet must grasp and represent the internal logic, the necessity, of the outcome of those events. Introduction to arab poetics poetics penguin classics poetics oxford worlds classics the poetics of space aristotle. Malcolm heaths introduction fills almost half the book but he truly captures the essence of poetics. In it are mentioned not only epic and dithyrambic poetry, but tragedy, comedy, and flute and lyre playing. The poetics begins quickly and efficiently, unlike a number of aristotles other works. Content wise, i think this book is great, but it was just so very boring. Instead of laying out an argument for why the subjects merits such a discussion or an overall thesis for his investigation, he immediately lays out an outline for his work types of poetry, structure, and division and begins his systematic analysis. In his nearcontemporary account of classical greek tragedy, aristotle examine the dramatic elements of plot, character, language and. Aristotle, poetics, section 1450b tufts university.
Following, then, the order of nature, let us begin with the principles which come first. The poetics of aristotle 335 bce is the earliest surviving treatise of dramatic theory and the first philosophy of literary theory from the west that influenced centuries of philosophers ever since. Theres no introduction to the book, just a note about when it was written circa 330bc and about aristotle himself, taking up less than a page. Aristotle s poetics is the earliest surviving work of dramatic theory and the first extant philosophical treatise to focus on literary theory. Only the first part that which focuses on tragedy and epic as a quasidramatic art, given its definition in ch 23. As the shortest book ive got on my literature student bookshelf, this dover thrift edition poetics is the cheapest, and most flimsy, but completely worthwhile book. This book examines the studies of aristotle s poetics and its related texts in which three medieval philosophers alfarabi, avicenna and averroes proposed a conception of poetic validity beauty, and a just relation between subjects in a community goodness. Aristotles poetics is one of the most powerful, perceptive and influential works of criticism in western literary history. He defines poetry as a medium of imitation that seeks to represent. Poetics by aristotle and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. From the poetics by aristotle devoted to literary criticism, only the first part mainly dedicated to the tragedy was received.
We know that aristotle also wrote a treatise on comedy that has been lost. One of the most perceptive and influential works of criticism in western literary history, the poetics has informed serious thinking about drama ever since. Butcher in poetics by aristotle, we see the author dissect the various elements of poetry, from why we like it to what a tragedy needs to be any good. Aristotles politics is a key document in western political thought. Aristotles poetics chapters 15 summary and analysis. Richard jankos acclaimed translation of aristotles poetics is accompanied by the most comprehensive commentary available in english that does not presume knowledge of the original greek. The poetics begins quickly and efficiently, unlike a number of aristotle s other works. This volume contains a translation into english of averroes s middle commentary on aristotles poetics, an introduction to the translation in which the arguments of both averroes and aristotle are sketch out and their differences from plato and other important thinkers explored, an outline analysis of the order of averroes s commentary, annotations to the text, a. Poetics penguin classics aristotle, heath, malcolm on. For a more extensive list of literature on aristotle, see here. Aristotles poetics summary aristotles poetics seeks to address the different kinds of poetry, the structure of a good poem, and the division of a poem into its component parts. A penetrating, nearcontemporary account of greek tragedy, it demonstrates how the elements of plot, character and spectacle combine to produce pity and fear and why we derive pleasure from this apparently painful process. This paper provides an overview and commentary of aristotle s theory of poetry, of drama, and of narrative structure, as presented the poetics. Long forgotten by commentators, it nevertheless had a great influence, since aristotles poetics has given birth to three concepts crucial for psychology, social sciences, and philosophy of art.
Few of the great works of ancient greek literature are easy reading. Dec 27, 2016 aristotle s poetics summary aristotle s poetics seeks to address the different kinds of poetry, the structure of a good poem, and the division of a poem into its component parts. This is because halliwells book aristotles poetics does not contain a translation. Read by robert foster aristotles poetics from the 4th century b. Poetics by aristotle classical wisdom weekly part 2. Overdrive rakuten overdrive borrow ebooks, audiobooks, and videos from thousands of public libraries worldwide. Poetics aristotle audiobook and ebook all you can books.
Aristotle s poetics is the most influential book on poetry ever written. The poetics, he says, is much more like a cookbook than it is like a textbook of elementary engineering. At some point, aristotle s original work was divided in two, each book written on a separate roll of papyrus. Books similar to aristotle and poetic justice aristotle and poetic justice. Fergusson pints out that aristotle did not lay down strict rules, as is often thought. Epic poetry and tragedy, comedy also and dithyrambic. Using sophocles oedipus rex, as aristotle did, to illustrate his analysis, mr. Aristotle gives his views on tragedy, the plot, the characters and the content, and then it is compared to epic poetry. Feb 29, 2012 among the most influential books in western civilization, aristotles poetics is really a treatise on fine art. Poetics by aristotle abebooks abebooks shop for books. Aristotle s rhetoric is an ancient greek treatise on the art of persuasion, dating from the 4th century bc.
Aristotles work on aesthetics consists of the poetics, politics bk viii and rhetoric. Quite a few comments have been posted about poetics. Discover the latest buzzworthy books, from mysteries and romance to humor and. The book is divided into short, fragmented sections that deals with every aspect of drama, poetry and epic. Buy poetics penguin classics book online at low prices. In these first two books aristotle shows his complete mastery of political theory and practice, and raises many crucial issues still with us today. The original text of the poetics translated by malcolm heath.
In the ancient world, aristotelian doctrine was known mainly through the works of his successor theophrastus c. Having thus distinguished the parts, let us now consider the proper construction of the fable or plot, as that is at once the first and the most important thing in tragedy. Robert mckees story because he is effectively a neoaristotelian. The poetics of aristotle, by aristotle project gutenberg.
This penguin classics edition is translated with an introduction and notes by malcolm heath. Aristotle s work on aesthetics consists of the poetics, politics bk viii and rhetoric. What is poetry, how many kinds of it are there, and what are their specific effects. It is the source of the doctrine of the three unities of time, place and action and the concept of catharsis in tragedy. Buy poetics penguin classics book online at low prices in.
Poetics looks at the fundamentals of writing great tragedy. It has been a standard book for literary criticism since centuries. In this chapter, he repeats part of his definition of tragedy, that it is an imitation of an action that is complete, and whole, and of a certain magnitude 52, and goes on to define exactly what he means by whole. Aristotle explains how the most effective tragedies rely on complication and resolution, recognition and reversals, while centring on chaaracerts of heroic stature, idealised yet true to life. Averroes middle commentary on aristotles poetics ibn. Part i i propose to treat of poetry in itself and of its various kinds, notin. Poetics is the earliest known work of literary criticism. Part of the nick hern books dramatic contexts series. Epic poetry and tragedy, comedy also and dithyrambic poetry, and the music.
By nature, man is a political animal, one naturally fitted for life in a polis or state. It is especially popular with screenwriters as seen in many script gurus howto books. Stephen halliwells aristotles poetics is, quite simply, the best book available. Read by robert foster aristotle s poetics from the 4th century b. To further complicate the issue he has also written a translation which is called the poetics of aristotle. Selections the nicomachean ethics of aristotle aristotle and dante discover the secrets of the universe posterior analytics clarendon aristotle series metaphysics. Essential reading for all students of greek theatre and literature, aristotles poetics remains equally stimulating for anyone interested in literature. Aristotles poetics is the most influential book on poetry ever written. This volume contains a translation into english of averroes s middle commentary on aristotle s poetics, an introduction to the translation in which the arguments of both averroes and aristotle are sketch out and their differences from plato and other important thinkers explored, an outline analysis of the order of averroes s commentary, annotations to the text, a bibliography, and a glossary. The precision with which aristotle conducts his analysis of tragic drama is at times almost amusing. So, if you like robert mckee, buy this book ie aritotles poetics. A founding text of european aesthetics and literary criticism, it has shaped much of our modern understanding of the creation and impact of imaginative writing, including poetry, drama, and fiction.
The project gutenberg ebook of poetics, by aristotle this ebook is for the use of. One of the most influential tracts in world theatre, aristotles poetics is crucial to an understanding of how drama works, and how it has evolved. Averroes middle commentary on aristotles poetics by. Literature the drama theory and influence of the poetics. The night of the silent dinner when athens placates the spirits of the dead. The internet classics archive poetics by aristotle. The poetics of poetics daniel balderston tulane university abstract.
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