Bridge Course: Aristotle poetics
Aristotle's poetics
This blog is in response to the understanding of Bridge course: Aristotle Poetics given by Dr. Dilip Barad sir.
Aristotle
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath during the Classical period in Ancient Greece. Taught by Plato, he was the founder of the Lyceum, the peripatetic school of philosophy, and the Aristotlelian tradition. Aristotle has been called "The father of logic", "the father of biology"," The father of political science "," The father of zoology ", "The father of embryology ", " The father of natural law"," The father of scientific method"," The father of realism"," The father of criticism "," The father of meteorology." Aristotle provided a complex synthesis of the various philosophies existing prior to him. It was above all from his teaching that the west inherited its intellectual lexicon, as well as problems and methods of inquiry.
Aristotle poetics
The poetics is in part Aristotle's response to his teacher, Plato, who argues in The Republic that poetry is representation of mere appearances and is thus misleading and morally suspect. Aristotle approach to the phenomenon of poetry is quite different from Plato's.
Plato's changes on poetry and objections against poets
One of the most difficult concepts introduced in the poetics is Catharsis, a word which has come into everyday language even though scholars are still debating its actual meaning in Aristotle's text.
Poetics is a critical look at poetry and the effect it has on those who consume it. According to Aristotle, poetry leads to a sort of "purification" through eliciting emotions - mainly pity and fear in a process known as Catharsis.
Aristotle's Poetics remains one of the most important pieces of writing in the world history of literature and theatre, offering a specific structure to what Aristotle believed to be a perfect tragedy.
Plato's changes on poetry and objections against poets
In mid 1930s, one professor of philosophy called Alfred North Whitehead who had said that,
"All subsequent philosophy is merely a footnote to Plato."
Teacher of Aristotle, Plato wrote a book 'The Republic ' in which he wrote that poets and poetry contribute nothing to the nation and they are mening less. Plato had several changes over poets: according to Plato and therefore, this frenzy is wholly outside reason and it leads to the arousal of emotions which are inappropriate which is ethically not right, morally not right and it includes certain wrongs.
Aristotle defense to Plato
According to Plato poetry is a mere slavish representation of surface reality and thus twice removed from reality. Aristotle defense poetry against this charge strongly and logically. Aristotle says poetry is not a mere mimicry or photographic representation of phenomenal world. Aristotle says that no doubt poetry is an imitation but a creative imitation. According to Aristotle poetry is not removed from reality rather the very reality, the highest truth.
Secondly, Aristotle argues that poetic truth is much higher and universal than that of history. Poetry is more conducive to understanding than even philosophy. He says that it I not the function of a poet to relate what has happened, but what may happen; what is possible according to the laws of probability and necessity.
Thirdly, Aristotle defends poetry against the charges of untruths and impossibilities. Plato fundamental objections against poetry is that poetry presents not facts but fiction, such things as never happened, such things as never lived. Aristotle answer to these changes is that poetry is not reality but a higher reality, what ought to be not what is. Poetry gives not reality but the idea of reality in the poet's mind.
Fourthly, Aristotle defines poetic imagination and its role. He say that the poet may take his material from the rich store house of tradition, myth and legend because what has happened dose not exclude what may happen.
Further in the 'poetics ' Aristotle is giving the Definition of Tragedy
" Tragedy, then, is an imitation of an action that is serious and complete, and which has some greatness about it. It imitates in words with pleasant accompaniments, each type belonging separately to the different parts of the work. "
Aristotle begins to introduce the six constitutive components of a Tragedy.
Plot
Emphasizing that Tragedy is first and foremost the representation of actions, and not of characters, Aristotle makes the remark that many contemporary tragedies do not succeed in their characterization, but are still tragedies. The tragic effects comes from the plot, and especially from the peripatetic the reversal of the situation in which the character find themselves as well as from scenes of recognition.
Character
Character is second in importance after plot; tragedies depict characters as they relate to the action which is the main object of representation. Characters represent their moral qualities throught the speeches assigned to them by the dramatist.
Thought
Thought comprises both the rational processes through which characters come to decisions, as represented in the Dram, as well as the values put forward in the form of maxims and proverbs.
Diction
Diction has already been defined as the metrical composition of the play, the way language is used to convey the representation.
Song
Music is described as an embellishments of language. The lines assigned to the chorus in a Tragedy are usually conveyed in song accompanied by rhymical movement
Spectacle
Aristotle lists spectacle last In order of importance, pointing out that the power of Tragedy is not fully dependent upon its performance, and that the art of the spectacle really belongs to the set designer and not to the poet.
I hope this information will be helpful to you. Thank you for reading.
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