Aristotle on Artistic Imitation

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that, in Aristotle's "Poetics", the great thinker disagrees with Plato on the inherent value of art especially in regard to the idea of art being a cheap imitation of nature. The author points out that, whereas Plato sees this as a major drawback to any art, Aristotle contends that there is much more involved in the process than the simple act of copying. The paper stresses that this Aristotelian view is the important link between Plato and critics, such as Sir Philip Sidney and Samuel Johnson, who came after him.

From the Paper:

"Aristotle further enhances his views on artistic imitation as he introduces the effective imitative form of the Tragedy (which happens to be suitable for literature as well as the stage). In his opinion, Tragedy is the highest form of literary imitation, as "it is, then, an imitation of a noble and complete action, having the proper magnitude." He says a bit later in Poetics that "the pleasure which the poet should afford is that which comes from pity and fear through imitation." This is the function of Tragedy; the pity and fear arise from certain incidents in which a character (neither totally good nor bad, as in reality) suffers a reversal and falls undeservedly into misfortune. The audience can relate to these events and become overtaken with human sympathy. Therefore, the imitation presented is surely true to life."

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