Poetics

Super Short Summary

Aristotle's Poetics analyzes the nature and uses of poetry, primarily examining tragedy and epic poetry. He posits that the primary role of tragedy is to provoke catharsis—emotional release—through inspiring pity and terror in the audience. Aristotle outlines criteria for effective tragedies: believable yet exceptional characters, concentrated settings, unified plots, and a span of no more than 24 hours. Tragedy, he argues, should evoke consistent emotion and follow an internally logical plot while poets must vividly envision and emotionally engage with their scenes.