Classical literarytheory
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Aristotle was the first major Greek philosopher to write a critical treatise on poetry and drama. He defined art as mimesis, or imitation of reality. For Aristotle, mimesis was not just mere copying but a technique that enhances meaning by representing the world and human experiences. Aristotle analyzed tragedy in detail and saw it as depicting the conflict between good and evil through the downfall of a noble protagonist. He also took a reader-centered approach by considering how drama impacts audiences. The tragic hero for Aristotle must be a noble and virtuous figure whose suffering evokes pity and fear in viewers.
Classical literarytheory
- 1. ClassicalLiteraryTheory Aristotle poestics is the first major critical treatise to appear in Greece in the fourth century B.C.Aristotle defined art as mimesis from the greek verb mimeisthai, „to imitate‟. In his theory of imitation, he defined mimesis aa the imitative representation of the real world in art and literature. Mimesis is a complex concept. There are more meanings of mimesis than a form of imitation. Copying, mimicry and expression are the other meanings. The philosopher paul ricoeur argues that aristotle radically differs from plato‟s views on art, for plato literature is twice removed from the true forms and therefore is based on falsewood and illusion. Mimesis for aristotle does not offer weak copies of the world according to Ricoeur but is a technique that “brings about an augmentation of meaning” by not simply mirroring the “already given but produces what it imitates”. Thus mimesis is not a mere portrayal of representation of reality but a re-presentation of the world or human life with all its happiness and misery and is crucially dependant on the writer‟s constructivve activity. Poetry for aristotle is an idealized representation of human action. Aristotle discussed the nature of tragedy in great detail. He insisted that tragedy is about character revealed in action. He defined tragedy as a conflict between good and evil. Tragedy has cosmic implications and asks fundamental and unanswerable questions about the universe and the fate of the human beings. Peter Barry states, “Aristotle was also the first critic to develop a „reader-centered‟ approach to literature since his consideration of drama tried to describe how it affected the audience Aristotle auggests in his „poetics‟ that the action of the tragic hero must be „spoudaious‟ or grave, noble and solemn. The tragic heromust be a man of high state and stature with a noble nature which implies ethical goodness and not tragic hero, since unmerited suffering does not rouse pity and fear.