George Whalley's English translation of the Poetics breathes new life into the study of Aristotle's aesthetics
by allowing the English-speaking student to experience the dynamic quality characteristic of Aristotle's arguments
in the original Greek. Aristotle's Poetics combines a complete translation of the Poetics with a running commentary,
printed on facing pages, that keeps the reader in continuous contact with the linguistic and critical subtleties
of the original while highlighting crucial issues for students of literature and literary theory. Whalley's unconventional
interpretation emphasizes Aristotle's treatment of art as dynamic process rather than finished product. The volume
includes two essays by Whalley in which he outlines his method and purpose. He identifies a deep congruence between
Aristotle's understanding
Table of Contents
Introduction to 1998 edition
Abbreviations
I The Setting of the Poetics
II Aristotle's Aesthetics 1: Art and its Pleasure
III Aristotle's Aesthetics 2: Craft, Nature and Unity in Art
IV Mimesis
V Action and Character
VI Tragedy and the Emotions
VII Fallibility & Misfortune: The Secularisation of the Tragic
VIII The Chorus of Tragedy
IX Epic, Comedy and Other Genres
X Influence & Status: the Nachleben of the Poetics
App. 1 The Date of the Poetics
App. 2 The Poetics and Plato
App. 3 Drama in the Theatre: Aristotle on Spectacle (opsis)
App. 4 Aristotle on Language (lexis)
App. 5 Interpretations of katharsis
Bibliography
Index
