Poetics Summary

The essence of poetry is presented as a reflection or imitation of life, expressed through language, rhythm, and harmony. This imitation is what intrigues us as beings who thrive on replication. Particularly, the focus is placed on the tragic form of poetry, which is dramatic rather than narrative, interacting with individuals who are superior to ourselves. The purpose of tragedy is to stir emotions of fear and pity, and subsequently purify these feelings. The elements of tragedy are broken down into six components, listed in decreasing order of importance: plot, character, thought, diction, melody, and spectacle.

A tightly structured sequence of events, essential to a good tragedy, maintains the unity of the plot. The plot should initiate without dependence on prior events, and conclude by resolving all issues without causing further necessity. The plot can be significantly improved by the clever use of peripeteia, the reversal and anagnorisis, recognition, which are most effective when seamlessly integrated into the plot.

The essential structure of a plot involves a hero's transition from joy to sorrow. The hero's portrayal should be consistent and positive, however, it should remain true to the character's established traits. The hero's misery is typically the result of a mistake or oversight. The tragic plot revolves around a tragic act, committed or omitted, carried out either knowingly or unknowingly. After examining thought and diction, the discussion centers on epic poetry, which is similar to tragedy but is typically longer, more imaginative, and encompasses a wider range of action. Despite certain criticisms, it is argued that tragedy surpasses epic poetry in its impact.