Bridge course: Aristotle's Poetics / Worksheet: Aristotle's Poetics

                                         ARISTOTLE'S POETICS

This blog is in response to the understanding of Bridge course: Aristotle's Poetics allotted by Dr. Dilip Barad sir. In this blog I am sharing my understanding about Aristotle's Poetics.

                          

              "Aristotle was the first accurate critic and truest judge... he taught us two offices together; how we ought to judge rightly of others and what we ought to imitate specially in ourselves."                                                                                           -Ben Jonson

ARISTOTLE:

  Aristotle means the best purpose. Aristotle was born in 384 BCE. He was a philosopher,poet and a writer. He was the student of plato. at the age of 18,he joined plato's Academy. Lather he became the tutor of Alexander the great. We don't have his actual writing but only the notes which his student had written down. He Established his own Academy and delivered lectures to his students. His most of the works were composed while he was in his academy between 335 to 323 BCE in Athens. 

 THE POETICS:

"poetics is the science of poetry, the art of creating poetry." 

 Aristotle's 'poetics' is the most Important document of western criticism. in 'poetics' he replies to the charges made by plato against poetry and formulates the very important definition of tragedy. Like plato, aristotle also believes that all arts involve mimesis.but for aristotle imitation is objective representation of life in literature. he firmly believes that the poets works according to the law of probability. poetry was used in a good sense by Aristotle it includes Drama,Music,Painting,Arts etc.    

the most important thing that aristotle said is an imitation.he tells us how a child learns right from his birth through imitation. so imitation is ingrained within us and this imitation has to be used creatively and intellectually by  the imaginative artist. But artist can take it as an action as he thinks it is or he may think of an action as it ought to be. but through his creativity he can add much to it.

according to him life can be duplicate through character,emotion or action. it is the real skill of poet that enable him to present men different from what they are, and as the same time to be true to life.

      

If you want to watch a video you can click here and watch.

Aristotle’s defense to Plato-

Agreement

First of all Aristotle agrees with Plato calling the 'Poet an imitator'.

According to Aristotle poet is imitator of one of the three objectives:

1. Things as they were/are.
2. Things as they are said/ thought to be.
3. Things as they ought to be.  

Poet imitate what is past or present what is commonly believed and is ideal

Disagreement-

Theory of Mimesis (Imitation):

Plato- Plato believed that poets' imitation is twice removal of reality and so it is unreal. According to Plato the art deals with illusion, it is imitation of an imitation. He explained this with the idea of a chair. He said that when a person gets an idea of a chair then that Idea is original, truth which is essential; When the idea is bought in practical terms, that is when a chair is made a physical one it is the first copy of the original, that is idea. It means it is the first imitation, later this imitation, this first copy is made by other companies or when the painter paints, It is an imitation of imitation. Therefore it is twice an imitation of the original Idea the chair and it is completely different from the original idea, it is not the truth.

Aristotle- Aristotle says that imitation is an instinct that is born in human beings. It derives natural pleasure which helps human beings to learn new things. For example, a child learns to speak and write from imitation of an elder, when (a poet) another instinct helps him to develop as a poet and that instinct is of harmony and rhythm. He explained the importance of imitation.

Aristotle thought of giving another interpretation of mimesis that is poetry is not copying but making. Along with it he gave the difference between poetry and history. Poetry and History does not differ only in the terms of medium. Poetry relates with what ought/ may have happened (i.e. ideal), it is expressed in the universal. History is related with what has happened and it relates with a particular situation. Poetry is more philosophical and higher than history.

Function of poetry:

Plato- According to Plato, art is bad because it does not inspire virtue and doesn't teach any morality. As a moralist Plato thought that poetry is immoral. As a philosopher he thought poetry is based on falsehood, philosophy is better than poetry as philosophy deals with the idea of truth and poetry deals with what appears (illusion). Truth of philosophy is more important than the falsehood of poetry. And also argued that poetry had no educational standpoint. He felt that poetry has no healthy function.

Aristotle- Aristotle disagreed with this point of view by saying that ‘art is to provide aesthetic delight, communicable expression, express emotions and represent life.’ The function of the art is to provide aesthetic sense and the function of providing moral teaching is ethics. True art of a good artist is the one which provides aesthetic sense and the art which doesn't provide aesthetic sense is of a bad artist. The moral nature/ function of poetry is to please. However, teaching is an add on. It is superior to another pleasure because it teaches Civic morality.

Theory of Catharsis:

Plato- Plato believed that art/ poetry appeals to the inferior part of the soul that is the emotional coward part. He felt that it is needless to feel sorrow and happiness at the imaginary events of sorrow and happiness; it encourages weaker parts of the soul and numbs the faculty of reason. He felt that reading poetry seduces the feeling of undesirable emotions.

Aristotle- Aristotle here argued with his ‘Theory of Catharsis’ he says catharsis as ennobling which humbles human beings that is it (makes humble). A catharsis is an emotional release, the purification or purgation of the emotions (especially pity and fear) primarily through art.

  

Further in the 'poetics' Aristotle is giving the DEFINITION OF TRAGEDY:

 According to Aristotle tragedy originated from epic which imitates the noble action good men. Aristotle defines "tragedy as an imitation of an action that is serious, complete and of certain magnitude; in language embellished with each kind of artistic ornament, the several kinds being found in separate parts of the play; In the form of action, not of narrative; through pity and fear effecting the proper purgation of these emotions.

By 'serious' Aristotle means a tale of suffering exciting pity and fear.

By 'Complete' hr means self contained with beginning, a middle and an end.

By of a certain magnitude he means a reasonable length that allows a proper unfolding of the plot and also easily grasped by the Audience.

According to Aristotle a successful tragedy is constituted by six components and they are :

• Plot
• Character
• Thought
• Diction
• Song
• Spectacle               

1. PLOT :  

>  As a soul of poetry. Action is the most significant aspect of a tragedy. plot is the arrangement of incidents are arranged in the correct sequence with effective link. other important think that Aristotle says about tragedy is hat it must have universal significance, definite structure, unity of theme and purpose.

 according to aristotle a successful plot should consists the following aspects:

•  completeness
• magnitude
• unity
• determination structure
• universality 

*THE STRUCTURE OF THE POLOT:

  A tragedy should maintain the three unities namely.

1.unity of action.

2. unity of time.

3. unity of place.

    2. Character:

> according to aristotle a tragic hero can't be an eminently good man. the suffering of such a man will be shocking. the tragic hero neither can be a good man nor a villain.

> the tragic hero is a man who is not eminently good and just , yet whose misfortune is brought about not by vice or such a man will excite pity and fear.

> finally that will help for the catharsis of these emotions and the function of tragedy will be fulfilled.

  3.Thought:

> thought is important because actions sprouting out from thoughts.

> Everything that are supposed to be brought out through the effect of speech or action are included under thought.

> the cathartic effect of the tragic play by arising the feeling of pity and fear is ultimately the product of thought.

 4.Diction:

> diction is in fact the material arrangement of words in the play.

> dicton includes the verbal expression of the content or the subject matter of the tragic play.

> establishments are welcome in the language used and he use of appropriate metaphor is considered to be an intellectual approach to diction.

The character must be able to discriminate between a command, request, advice, threat, query and a prayer.

 5.song:

> aristotle calls the musical elements of  the chorus as song or melody.

> chorus creates and keeps the melody of the play and aristotle strongly insists that chorus should be an integral part of the play as an action or action is to a play.

> songs takes a serious role in contributing to the unity of the plot.

6.spectacle:

> spectacle is the lower important in the tragedy because it has very little to do with literature.

> the poet who creates an artistic work gives primary attention to the inner structure of the work.

> all his effort will be give life to the work and to achieve the artistic value.

                  For better understanding you can watch this video:

I have tried to give an overview about aristotle's poetics an idea about what aristotle is takings about in poetics. I hope this write-up will be helpful to you. THANK YOU FOR READING. 

  WORKSHEET

This blog is in response to the question given in blogspot on aristotle's poetics by dr. dilip barad.

1. Have you studied any tragedies during B.A. programme? who was/were the tragic protagonist in those tragedies? what was their 'Hamartia'?

Ans. 

yes, I studied some tragedies in my B.A. programme. main two tragedies i study they are "All My Sons" and "Julius Caesar". this both tragedies were amazing.

        

1. "ALL MY SONS": by Arthur Miller

>  Protagonist: joe keller

>  Hamartia: pride, wish to earn more(greed). 

        

2."JULIUS CAESAR": by William Shakespeare 

> Protagonist: Brutus

> Hamartia: his pride, arrogance, self-superiority.

  

 2. Did the plot of those tragedies follow necessity rules and regulations proposed by aristotle?

ans.  

All My Sons:

   Arthur Miller’s ‘All My Sons' is one of the texts which follows a tradition of the Aristotelian Tragedy as the tragic hero of the play; Joe Keller undergoes every major characteristic that a tragic hero of Aristotle faces. Like an Aristotelian tragic hero- he is true to life, he is neither a completely virtuous man nor a complete wicked but a representative of normal human beings. He faces downfall due to his ambition and commits suicided at the end. His hamartia was sending faulty oxygen cylinders for the soldiers in the war. We do feel catharsis with the characters of ‘All my sons’, especially pity on the family of Joe after the death of Joe. All my Sons is similar to Aristotelian tragedy but it cannot be an Aristotelian tragedy.

Julius caesar:

The model of an Aristotelian tragedy begins with the protagonist ( tragic hero). The protagonist must begin as someone of importance or fortune. The usual example is someone of royalty. He cannot be perfect, though. The audience must be able to relate to the hero, so Aristotle said the hero must have tragic flaws that balance his otherwise good character. Aristotle usually made this flaw hubris (an all-consuming pride that causes the individual to ignore a moral tenant or a divine warning).These flaws culminate in the humiliation, defeat, and death of the protagonist. This should invite the audience to feel a great pity for the character because he can be related to, and the audience can put themselves in his position.The play must end in a catharsis. The catharsis is the event of the audience losing their feelings of anxiety and fear and finally reaching a sense of completion. The Aristotelian model also follows the classical unities of time and place.

    shakespeare's play present clear evidence of at least some familiarity with aristotelian theory, through references to catharsis and the unities. The Tragedy of Julius Caesar was in fact a tragedy by Aristotle’s definition of tragedy. Aristotle defined tragedy as a tragic hero with a serious flaw leading to their downfall, bringing with it emotions. The events in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar follow Aristotle’s tragedy definition. In the play, Caesar’s character’s belief of self-immortality and ambition to rule Rome in a tyrannical governing form led to his downfall. Brutus also suffered a downfall that would classify him as tragic hero according to Aristotle. The plot of Caesar’s downfall and after his death added to the tragedy of the play. Thought within the play further proved the Tragedy of Julius Caesar to be, in fact, a tragedy by Aristotle’s definition, rather than a historical play.

    In William Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Julius Caesar the element of tragic hero is presented. A tragic hero is defined as a character of high standing who has a flaw that leads to his or her downfall, this individual is enlightened of his or her mistakes and is often viewed with pity or sympathy by the audience. Shakespeare has created two tragic heroes in his classic, Brutus and Caesar. The character primarily focused on as a tragic hero in this story is the protagonist, Brutus. Brutus is a tragic hero because he is of high political standing, a poor judge of character and is enlightened of his mistakes. Throughout the tale of Julius Caesar's assassination we are able to view into a window of Brutus's life and watch as the Republic unravels.

3.with reference to the literary texts you have studied during B.A. programme with brief note on the texts which did not follow aristotelian literary tradition.

Ans.

I studied William Shakespeare's tragedy and some of his tragedies does not follow Aristotelian literary Tradition. Aristotle set the rules about tragedy and strictly followed that rules. but Shakespeare came, he break all the set rules and set his own rules.here we can see a difference between aristotle tragedy vs shakespearean tragedy.

  in plays like Romeo and Juliet. It does not even attempt to follow the Aristotelian tragedy. This Tragedy is about a man and women deeply in love with one another. Their love could be interpreted as tragic flaws, but such a thought is a long stretch. Their love is attacked by external forces, however. The tragedy in this play is not tragic flaws within the protagonists but in the circumstances. Romeo and Juliet and other such plays end with either the death or permanent separation of the lovers.

SHAKESPEARE'S tragedies like HAMLET, OTHELLO, KING LEAR, and MACBETH. These are the four great tragedies and best follow the Aristotelian model. They all have a protagonist that has a tragic flaw that eventually leads to his downfall. Aristotle had a tendency to exaggerate the flaw, while Shakespeare makes it more real. This is just about the only thing it has in common with the Aristotelian tragedy though. Shakespeare loved to make a complicated plot with many sub-plots in order to make the play that much more real and meaningful to the audience. Therefore, he did not limit his tragedies to the classical unities. The catharsis is another difference. Shakespeare’s plays do not end with the sense that everything is now finished. Instead, the plays end with the audience remaining in awe at the absolute destruction of the protagonist. There is just the feeling of amazement at the utter despair of the play.

 Here I have written about my understanding. all the above answers are my interpretations. Thank you so much reading this blog.

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