Classical Literary

Theory
Mimesis, Censorship, Purpose of Literature,
Language Levels, and Catharsis

KC Daniel Inventor
 Mimesis

 Aristotle in his Poetics (Art imitates life)

 A process of imitation or mimicry
 Artistic pursuits (Greek Drama) mimic people, places, events,
conditions (reality, nature, life)
 Art’s reflection and reinterpretation of the world around it
 Visual mimesis (visual arts)
 Literary mimesis ( Behavioral Mimesis – characters mirror actual
human responses to real-life scenarios and Vocal Mimesis – writing
in a particular speech pattern that is appropriate for the character)
 Is there mimesis in a work of literature? In what way does it show
the concept of mimesis?
Censorship

 Plato coined and advocated the term in his work “The

Republic”
 Suppression of language, art, etc. that is considered
harmful, sensitive, or immoral to the public eye
 Euripides – Speaking freely is a right of freeborn men
 Whether to censor or not a particular art that mimics life
 Should a particular text be censored or not? Why? What are
the pros and cons of censoring a piece of literature?
The Purpose of Literature
 Horace – Dulce et Utile (sweet and useful)
 Dulce – to entertain the audience
 Utile – to teach the audience a lesson
 Opposed by Modernists and Post-Modernists (claim that
art can be made solely for itself – entertainment)
 Art for art’s sake and art with social purpose
 Does the text teach or entertain, or both? In what way?
What does it teach? How does it entertain?
 Language Levels in Literature
 Longinus – levels of language in literature
 Low – a work that utilizes “poor” language (slang, vulgar words,
and disruption of language, etc.)
 Mid – a work that utilizes the vernacular or everyday language of
the common people
 High – follows correct and appropriate grammar/ syntax
 Sublime – Excellence in language that creates a power to
provoke the reader/ audience (produce sensations of awe or
even pain)
 What level of language is used in the text? Is there a
combination of levels? In what way does it utilize a particular
level of language?
 Catharsis
 Aristotle’s Poetics
 The purgation of emotion such as pity and fear when
watching a Greek tragedy
 Flushing these emotions from the viewer’s system that
leads to purification of the emotions
 by feeling fear and pity – sensibilities and our capabilities
to feel and be moved
 The feeling of being washed or cleansed
 Is the work cathartic? In what way does it show catharsis?
 Applying the Classical Literary
Theory
Your analysis must answer the following questions:

 Is the work mimetic? In what way does it show the concept of

mimesis?
 Should a particular text be censored or not? Why? What are the pros
and cons for censoring a piece of literature?
 Does the text teach or entertain, or both? In what way? What does it
teach? How does it entertain?
 What level of language is used in the text? Is there a combination of
different levels? In what way does it utilize a particular level of
language? How does the use of language affect its vocal mimesis?
 Is the work cathartic? In what way does it affect you as an audience?