Aristotle's Poetics is one of the most powerful, perceptive and influential works of criticism in Western
literary history. A penetrating, near-contemporary 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. It introduces the crucial concepts of mimesis ('imitation'), hamartia ('error') and katharsis,
which have informed serious thinking about drama ever since. It examines the mythological heroes, idealized yet
true to life, whom Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides brought on to the stage. And it explains how the most effective
plays rely on complication and resolution, recognitions and reversals. Essential reading for all students of Greek
literature and of the many Renaissance and post-Renaissance writers who consciously adopted Aristotle as a model,
the Poetics is equally stimulating for anyone interested in theatre today.
In one of the most perceptive and influential works of criticism in Western literary history, third century
B. C. Greek philosopher Aristotle examines the literature of his time, describing the origins of poetry as an imitative
art and drawing attention to the distinctions between comedy and tragedy. Aristotle helped establish the foundations
of Western philosophy, and his influence is evident in philosophical thought today.