Name :Zainab khan
Teacher ; Rao Ayesha
Subject: literary criticism and theory
Topic; Discuss Aristotle as a classical critic
Aristotle (383-322 BC)
Aristotle was not only a student of Plato, but also his strongest critic. Aristotle took over from Plato a
few basic principles of art in his famous Poetics and attempts to raise a very systematic and serious
critique of Plato without ever mentioning him directly. Aristotle’s theory of art can be called the
theory of imitation or mimesis. In his effort to present poetry as imitation, Aristotle is in a way trying
to defend art against Plato. As a counterpoint to the Platonic view to art as a lie, Aristotle seems to
be suggesting that art cannot be a lie because it presents itself as an imitation of the object
.” The major elements in Aristotle’s definition can be presented in the following order:
1) A tragedy is an imitation or representation of an action with the requisite seriousness.
2) A tragedy should have a definite form i.e. a series of incidents, each logically connected
to the other and presented in an artistic way.
3) It should be presented in a manner that is proper to its intended function.
4) The intended function of a tragedy is to arouse pity and fear in order to yield pleasure
through ennobling of the spectators or the readers.
Poetic truth.
Aristotle seems to claim that poetic truth is superior to historical truth in that whereas the latter is
concerned only about describing how things were, the poetic truth is based on a moral view as to
how things should be. In a way this answers Plato’s critique of truth in art – that art is not a lie, but
rather it is a superior form of truth
Catharsis
As for the function of art, Aristotle has a very serious claim to make, he sees ‘catharsis’ as the
emotional function of tragedy. Catharsis could refer to a moral effect which a tragedy produces
through the purification of the passions.
Crucial to Aristotle’s defense of art is his
• Rejection of Plato’s Dualism
Man is not an “embodied” intellect, longing for the spiritual release of death, but rather
an animal with, among all the other faculties, the ability to use reason and to create
Aristotle: Art is not useless
• It is Natural:
1. It is natural for human beings to imitate
2. Any human society which is healthy will be a society where there is imitative
art
3. Nothing is more natural that for children to pretend
Aristotle: good art is not dangerous
A) Art is not deceptive:
• Artists must accurately portray psychological reality in order for characters to
be believable and their actions understandable
• It teaches effectively and it teaches the truth
Doctrine of Catharsis
• Artis neither psychologically destabilizing nor politically destructive
• Artis a therapeutic part of the healthy life of not only the individual, but of the
nation
Aristotle: Mimesis is not equal to imitation
Mimesis is more like
• Rendering
• Depicting
• Construing
• Idealizing
• Representing
Aristotle’s Critical Responses
• Poetry is more Philosophical than History
• “Poetry is sometimes more philosophic and of graver importance than history
(He means a mere chronicle of events here), since its statements are of the
nature rather of universals, whereas those of history are singulars”
