Lilli Geltman, Emilie Quenensse, Joanna Forman

Mr. Schurtz
English AP 12/Period 1
4 February 2010
The Study of Aristotle’s Poetics

Raphael
 By Emilie Quenensse
Aristotle’s Biography

http://www.fofweb.com/Lit/image-window.asp?ImgName=Aristotle&iPin=EAncL0058
Early Years
 Born in 384 B.C.
 Born in Ionian Colony
of Stagirus in
Chalcidice
(Macedonia)
 His father was a
physician for the
King of Macedonia
 He died when he http://www.goshenschoolsny.org/Schools/GHS/We
bsites/Special%20Education/JWeir/English
%2010/map_of_Ancient_Greece .jpg
was just a young
boy
Schooling
 At the age of 18, Aristotle moved
to Athens where he attended
Plato’s Academy.
 Created many works during this
time period
 Aristotle, “the brilliant pupil”
influenced Plato’s views as well
as the inverse



h ttp :// u p lo a d . w ikim e d ia . o rg / w ikip e d ia / co m m o n s/ 5 / 5 a / Pla to % 2 7 s_A ca d e m y. jp g
 Plato’s Influence
 Plato obviously had a
direct influence on
Aristotle
 Aristotle was Plato’s
pupil
 Plato was more
concerned with
theories of morality
and existence than
with science
 Aristotle shifted his
interest more http://www-history.mcs.st-
and.ac.uk/~history/BigPictures/Plato.jpe
towards natural g
Later Years and Death
 Following Plato’s death, Aristotle left the
Academy as well as Athens
 Married and had two children

 Oversaw the education of the young

Alexander the Great
 Returned to Athens and founded his own
school
 Exiled and died a year later
Teachings
 Contributions to
biology
 Firstto classify
animals
 Indentified the
measures of
reproduction
 Believed in
Teleology
http://images.google.com/imgres?
imgurl=http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/images/AristoEmbryo.jpg&imgrefurl=htt
p://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/AristotleBiol.htm&usg=__-ahQ7BA6igh-
W6a4thE4WjUz75U=&h=566&w=549&sz=47&hl=en&start=1&itbs=1&tbnid=O
tUBBEEL97OMaM:&tbnh=134&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3Daristotle%2Band
%2Bbiology %26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive &safe=active
Teachings Continued
 Definedand classified the various
branches of knowledge
 Physics

 Metaphysics
 Rhetoric

 Poetic
 logic
Joanna Forman
Stenudd.com
Poetics
Core Concepts
 The rise in the art of poetry stems from
the natural desire for people to imitate
one another
 Poetry can take three forms: Comedy,
tragedy and epic poetry
 Although comedy, tragedy and epic
poetry have similarities, there have vast
differences
 In tragedy, plot is a key focus


The Importance of Plot
 According to Aristotle
plot is the most
important thing
when it comes to
tragedy
 Plot is the soul of
tragedy
 Without action
there cannot be
tragedy and
character
Wicknet.org
development is
hard
Plot Structure
 Definition
 Arrangement of an incident
A strong structure is crucial
 Must have a beginning, middle, and an
end
 Epeisodic plots and actions should be
avoided
Plot Structure (cont.)
 Reversal of situation and recognition
should fit into the structure of a tragic
plot
 Plots can be either simple or complex
 Complex plots generally contain a
reversal of situation and recognition
 Although not necessary in structure a
plotline, scene of suffering improves
the events
Thoughts on Comedy
 Comedy comes from
the work called
Margites
 Sicily was also
credited with
creating Comedy
 Aristotle defined
comedy as the
“imitation of
cheaper, more
ordinary persons”
(Aristotle 8)
 In comparison to the
tragedy, actions in crete-kreta.com
comedies are far
Influence on Literature
 During the
Renaissance period,
Aristotle’s writings
became very
popular
 His views on plot and
the ways literature
could present moral
values became of
great interest to
them
Blooms Literary Reference Online fofweb.com
 Some examples
come from the
Lilli Geltman
Tragic Hero

http://s3.amazonaws.com/learnhub.com/lesson/pages/
Definition.


Definition:  


 a literary character who makes an error

of judgment or has a fatal flaw that,
combined with fate and external
forces, brings on a tragedy

The Element of Character
 “Four things to be aimed at”
1.
2.Good if the purpose is good
3.Propriety
4.True to life
5.Consistency
The element of character cont.



 moral axis of drama

 affect on other
characters

http://www.overthinkingit.com
What is CATHARSIS
-origin


-definition


-importance


http://www.flickr.com/photos/jef_safi/927832
559/
Catharsis’ effect in tragedy
-historical overview


-Socrates used Catharsis

as well

http://www.wwu.edu
Catharsis’ effect in tragedy cont.


 The release of emotions



 Morally improve or destroy relationships

Works Cited
 Aristotle. The Poetics of Aristotle. Trans. Preston H Epps. Chapel Hill: The
     University of North Carolina Press, 1970. Print.
 "Catharsis ." Encyclopedia Britannica eb.com . Encyclopedia Britannica , n.d.
     Web. 2 Feb. 2010. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/99492/
     catharsis>.
 "Catharsis ." New World Encycopedia . N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Feb. 2010.
     <http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Catharsis>.
 Golden, Leon. "Catharsis ." JSTOR. N.p., 1962. Web. 2 Feb. 2010.
     <http://www.jstor.org/stable/
     283751?
&Search=yes&term=catharsis&term=terms&term=aristotle&list=hide&searchUri=
%
     2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dwhat%2Bis%2Bcatharsis%2Bin
%2Bterms%2Bof%2Baris
     totle%26gw%3Djtx%26prq%3Dwhat%2Bis%2Bcatharsis%26Search%3DSearch
%26hp%3D25%26wc%3
     Don&item=1&ttl=1373&returnArticleService=showArticle>.
 Grendler, Paul F., Ed. "Literature." Renaissance: An Encyclopedia for Students.
     Vol. 3. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2004. p21-25. Gale Virtual
     Reference Library. Web. 2 Feb. 2010. <http://go.galegroup.com>.
 Stenudd, Stefan. "Aristotle's Poetics." Stenudd. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Feb. 2010.
     <http://www.stenudd.com/myth/greek/aristotle/
     aristotle-poetics-followers.htm>.
Work Cited Cont.
Works Cited Pictures
 "Aristotle." Library of Congress. Rare Book and Special
Collections Division. Bloom's Literary Reference Online.
Facts On File, Inc.
http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?
ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin=
LitImage0645&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 3,
2010).
 Aristotle. N.d. Gallery of the Greats. Web. 3 Feb. 2010.
     <http://wicknet.org>.
 Aristotle's Poetics. N.d. Stenudd. Web. 3 Feb. 2010.
<http://stenudd.com>.
 Hadjimichail, Theophilos. Erotokritos & Aretousa. 1930.
Crete - Kreta. Web. 3
     Feb. 2010. <http://www.crete-kreta.com/vitsentzos-
kornaros>.
 Raphael. Plato and Aristotle. 1510. Oil on Canvas.
 overthink. N.d. overthink.com. Web. 3 Feb. 2010.
     <http://www.overthink.com>.
Works cited pictutes cont.
 Aristotle . N.d. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Feb.
2010. <http://www.wwu.edu>.
 tragic heros. N.d. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Feb.
2010. <http://s3.amazonnews.com/
     learnhub.com/lesson/pages>.