Poetics

Inhisnear-contemporaryaccountofclassicalGreektragedy,Aristotleexaminesthedramaticelementsofplot,character,languageandspectaclethatcombinetoproducepityandfearintheaudience,andaskswhywederivepleasurefromthisapparentlypainfulprocess.TakingexamplesfromtheplaysofAeschylus,SophoclesandEuripides,thePoeticsintroducesintoliterarycriticismsuchcentralconceptsasmimesis('imitation'),hamartia('error')andkatharsis('purification').Aristotleexplainshowthemosteffectivetragedyrelyoncomplicationandresolution,recognitionandrehearsals,whilecentringoncharactersofheroicstature,idealizedyettruetolife.Oneofthemostpowerful,perceptiveandinfluentialworksofcriticisminWesternliteraryhistory,thePoeticshasinformedseriousthinkingaboutdramaeversince.MalcolmHeath'slucidtranslationmakesthePoeticsfullyaccessibletothemodernreader.