Aristotle's Poetics

Aristotle’s Poetics is the founding text of all western literary criticism and theory. As the first systematic treatment of literature, it continues to have enormous influence on modern literary studies. The course will combine a close reading of the text with a discussion of key Aristotelian terms including anagnorisis (recognition), ethos (character), peripeteia (reversal), hamartia (error), phobos and eleos (fear and pity), katharsis (purification), mimesis (imitation) and muthos (story). We will also read and discuss one tragedy and one comedy relevant to Aristotle's discussion of poetry.

Text in English translation: M. Heath, 1996, Aristotle, Poetics, Penguin Books. Introductions: S. Halliwell, 1986, Aristotle’s Poetics, University of Chicago Press; A. Rorty, ed., 1992, Essays on Aristotle's Poetics, Princeton University Press.