Guide to Aristotle’s “Poetics”

“Poetics” by Aristotle is considered by many to be the most important text related to writing in history. So in 2013, I figured why not a weekly series where we go through the book chapter by chapter.

Introduction: The Nature and Purpose of the Arts

Part 1: Structure and Imitation

Part 2: Moral Character, Types, Tragedy and Comedy

Part 3: Medium, Objects, Manner

Part 4: Poetry and the Development of Tragedy

Part 5: Comedy and Epic Poetry

Part 6(A): The 6 Parts of Tragedy

Part 6(B): Character and Thought

Part 6©: The 6 Parts of Tragedy, Part 2

Part 6(D): Plot First, Character Second

Part 6(E): Thought Third

Part 6(F): Diction Fourth, Song Fifth

Part 6(G): Spectacle Sixth

Part 7(A): Beginning, Middle, End

Part 7(B): Beauty, Magnitude, and Order

Part 7©: Story Length and Change of Fortune

Part 8: Unity

Part 9(A): Poet and Historian

Part 9(B): Possibility, Probability and Necessity

Part 9©: Episodic

Part 9(D): Surprise, Cause and Effect

Part 10: Simple and Complex Plots

Part 11: Reversal, Recognition and Suffering

Part 12: Prologue, Episode, Exode and Chorus

Part 13(A): A Perfect Tragedy

Part 13(B): A Well-Constructed Plot

Part 14(A): Fear and Pity

Part 14(B): The Conditions of a Tragedy

Part 15(A): Four Qualities of a Tragic Hero

Part 15(B): The Unraveling of the Plot

Part 15©: The Example of Good Portrait Painters

Part 16: Recognition

Part 17: Plot and Episode

Part 18(A): Complication and Denouement

Part 18(B): Four Kinds of Tragedy

Part 18©: Multiplicity of Plots

Part 18(D): Chorus

Part 19: Thought and Diction

Parts 20+21: Language and Words

Part 22: Word Choice

Part 23: Unity of Action

Part 24: Tragedy and Epic Poem

Part 25: Impossible and Improbable

Part 26: Tragedy vs. Epic Poems

This is actually a 44 part series and what is really cool about it is as we about our weekly analysis, a roving band of Aristotelian scholars joined the process, so the discussions in the comments section are pretty damn awesome.

YOU KNOW YOU SHOULD READ “POETICS”!!! Here is your chance to do so and read awesome commentary which provides specific takeaways for those of us interested in screenwriting.

Comment Archive