AristotleÆs Poetics is considered to be one of the most useful critical works of classical antiquity. It is also one of the best depictions of the mode and aims of Greek art generally. In Poetics, Aristotle affirms the capacity of human beings to imitate nature and life as a unique ability. His views on this issue are explicated in a discussion of various forms of epic poetry, usually expressed as drama or other forms of theater in the Hellenistic world. In Poetics, Aristotle maintains that tragedy is ôan imitation not only of a complete action, but also of incidents arousing fear and pityö (McKeon 637). This analysis will discuss the main elements outlined in AristotleÆs Poetics as they apply to HomerÆs epic poem, The Iliad.
Central to AristotleÆs theory as to the definition of art is his view of catharsis, a process that operates by first exciting and then calming the emotions. Catharsis works to purge the human emotion of morbidity, the subjective, and the purely personal and egotistic element. Tragic drama not only arouses the sympathetic identification of the audience by presenting mimesis, or imitation, of human nature, but also it appeals to the instinct for harmony, harmonia, as well. Aristotle simply believed that the function or art was to depict nature and to interpret or present nature so that man could gain a greater understanding of their world and thereby achieve wisdom and knowledge. According to Bate, ôBeneath the theory of katharsis lies the general Greek premise that art possesses a unique power to form the ætotal manÆ in whom emotion has been reconciled to intelligence and harmoniously integrated with itö (18).
Within AristotleÆs Poetics, we are also treated to the correct structure of a tragedy, which must include unity of time, place and space, a plot with beginning, middle, and end, a climax, and a resolution. A most important concept to Aristotle is that of hamartia, a term that repr...