Treatise · 1895
Poetics
On the art of poetry, tragedy and epic, in twenty-six chapters
Translated by S. H. Butcher (1895)
Aristotle's short treatise on poetic art: imitation, the structure of tragic plot, character, diction, and the comparison of epic with tragedy.
Contents · 26 parts
- I. 'Imitation' the common principle of the Arts of Poetry.7 paragraphs
- II. The Objects of Imitation.2 paragraphs
- III. The Manner of Imitation.3 paragraphs
- IV. The Origin and Development of Poetry.6 paragraphs
- V. Definition of the Ludicrous, and a brief sketch of the rise of Comedy.4 paragraphs
- VI. Definition of Tragedy.10 paragraphs
- VII. The Plot must be a Whole.3 paragraphs
- VIII. The Plot must be a Unity.1 paragraph
- IX. (Plot continued.) Dramatic Unity.3 paragraphs
- X. (Plot continued.) Definitions of Simple and Complex Plots.2 paragraphs
- XI. (Plot continued.) Reversal of the Situation, Recognition, and Tragic or disastrous Incident defined and explained.2 paragraphs
- XII. The 'quantitative parts' of Tragedy defined.2 paragraphs
- XIII. (Plot continued.) What constitutes Tragic Action.4 paragraphs
- XIV. (Plot continued.) The tragic emotions of pity and fear should spring out of the Plot itself.5 paragraphs
- XV. The element of Character in Tragedy.4 paragraphs
- XVI. (Plot continued.) Recognition: its various kinds, with examples.6 paragraphs
- XVII. Practical rules for the Tragic Poet.4 paragraphs
- XVIII. Further rules for the Tragic Poet.5 paragraphs
- XIX. Thought, or the Intellectual element, and Diction in Tragedy.2 paragraphs
- XX. Diction, or Language in general.8 paragraphs
- XXI. Poetic Diction.9 paragraphs
- XXII. (Poetic Diction continued.) How Poetry combines elevation of language with perspicuity.7 paragraphs
- XXIII. Epic Poetry.1 paragraph
- XXIV. (Epic Poetry continued.) Further points of agreement with Tragedy.8 paragraphs
- XXV. Critical Objections brought against Poetry, and the principles on which they are to be answered.17 paragraphs
- XXVI. A general estimate of the comparative worth of Epic Poetry and Tragedy.5 paragraphs