In the sixth chapter of the Poetics, Aristotle defines tragedy and discusses its function,
constituent parts, and relationship of plot and character. According to him, plot (mythos),
character (ethos), thought (dianoia), diction (lexis), song (melos), and spectacle (opsis) are six constituents of a tragic play. Tragedy is an artistic/imaginative representation or reworking (mimesis) of action (praxis) of a noble character (spoudaios) which is complete (teleios) and of proper size (megethos); in language embellished with each kind of artistic ornament, the several kinds being found in separate parts of the play; in the form of action (dronton), not of narrative (apangelias); as such to effect the catharsis of pitiable and fearful incidents exciting our emotions of pity and fear. This is a formal-structural attempt to dovetail all characteristics of a tragedy to be consistent with Aristotle’s Poetics. All structural elements get together to make pitiable and fearful events in the text bearable, beautiful, and pleasure-giving to audience. Mere selection of tear-jerking and terrifying situations cannot promise pleasure. According to Aristotle, in the mimetic process two fundamental principles of probability (eikos) and necessity (ananke) ensure success. This is what in the 19th century, Mathew Arnold termed ‘poetic truth and poetic beauty.’ By action, Aristotle meant all human activities including thoughts and feelings of rational human beings. In terms of key components of a tragedy, Aristotelians stress plot (mythos) and characterization as two factors of prime importance in a tragic play. |
