Aristotle
- Who is Aristotle? And What is His Poetics?
Aristotle is a Greek thinker who existed in Athens between 384 and 322 BC. He was Plato’s student and developed most of his work by commenting on his teacher’s philosophy and also creating some of his own. His Poetics is an analytical approach to poetry as a subject, what makes it up, and what people should possibly conclude about it. Through it, he maintains that poetry entails imitation, rhyme, and language in togetherness or separation (Aristotle, 1). Additionally, this work also maintains that poetry could either be tragedy-oriented or epic.
- What Constitutes a Tragedy in Ancient Time. & 3. Under the Character Bullet Point, describe the Qualities of the Protagonist/Main Character in Ancient Plays and Compare with Modern Play Characters.
According to Aristotle, some of the components of a tragedy include:
- Plot: This component of tragedy must consider the aspect of unity (Aristotle, 3). That is to say, all parts of the tragedy should connect and not remain hanging in any way.
- Thought: This element should always accompany the making of statements. No statements should be empty without thought.
- Character: A majority of protagonists in ancient plays are often guilty and responsible for their downfall, while modern ones seem to be faultless most of the time. This aspect follows the fact that tragic endings in ancient plays are due to the hero’s mistakes, while contemporary protagonists seem to suffer due to antagonistic plots.
- Diction
- Melody
- Spectacle
- What are some of the main differences and similarities in the protagonist’s life background? What, according to Aristotle, makes the tragedy most poignant about the protagonist.
Protagonists in ancient plays, according to Aristotle, were mostly from noble families. However, this quality has changed in new play characters who come from ordinary families. A similarity among these protagonists lies in the fact that they both often come to a tragic end. According to Aristotle, what makes a tragedy more poignant is the pity that the protagonist’s betrayal by a family member heightens.
- Describe the role of the chorus in ancient plays
The role of the chorus in ancient plays is to explain the plot further. According to Aristotle, the chorus should not only be lyrical but also add value to the play’s plot (Aristotle, 3). This way, it acts as an interlude and a bridge between events in the play.
Works Cited
Aristotle. Poetics. ReadHowYouWant. Com, 2006.