Aristotle's book Poetics covers tragedy, comedy, and epic poetry. Arsitotle considered “poetry” to be the art of imitation. He Believed poems, drama, musical instruments, drawings, and paintings all attempt to imitate certain aspects of nature.
Arts are different from each other by
While objects represented are different aspects of human nature. The manner in which the arts are presented could be
Aristotle believes the two reasons for the existence of poetry are two aspects of human nature:
Tragedy, as defined by Aristotle, is imitation of events that arouse pity or fear in a dramatic form, and can during different parts be merely in verse or also accompanied by music.
The six things said to make up a tragedy in its entirety are
Unfortunately, Aristotle’s work on comedy no longer exists, but he does write about epic poetry.
The difference, Aristotle describes, is
Arts are different from each other by
- the means which artists construe the natural world;
- the objects that are represented
- the manner in which they are presented.
While objects represented are different aspects of human nature. The manner in which the arts are presented could be
- a narrative,
- dialogue,
- or both,
- even a demonstration; dancing, story telling.
Aristotle believes the two reasons for the existence of poetry are two aspects of human nature:
- imitation (Imitation is the way people learn from birth)
- experience (is a persons story, their actions the the events, they are lived through)
- “all men by nature desire knowledge”, so they would want to experience different things through the imitations other create, even if they be unpleasant things such as death or sadness.
Tragedy, as defined by Aristotle, is imitation of events that arouse pity or fear in a dramatic form, and can during different parts be merely in verse or also accompanied by music.
The six things said to make up a tragedy in its entirety are
- Plot, (the incidents that come up in the story)
- Characters, (describes the qualities of people)
- Diction, (he content of the verses)
- Thought, (the application of the characters’ qualities to their actions)
- Spectacle, (the showy part of the play, the action and so forth)
- and Melody, (tthe showy part of the play)
Unfortunately, Aristotle’s work on comedy no longer exists, but he does write about epic poetry.
- Like drama, Aristotle says, epic poetry should be complete in itself containing a beginning, middle, and end.
- Like tragedy, an epic poem must also be either
- simple or complex,
- about character or about suffering.
- All the main elements, except Melody and Spectacle, must also be the same
The difference, Aristotle describes, is
- Epic poetry should have one main action.
- Epic poetry should also focus on Thought and Diction.