Aristotle and the Art of Literature: Foundations of Classical Criticism

 "Character is that which reveals moral purpose, showing what kind of things a man chooses or avoids."

                                               – The Poetics

Introduction :- 

In our syllabus the Tragedy macbeth was included so the Dr. Dilipsir Barad gave us a task to write upon the Tragedies concept from the view of Aristotle, Plato and take a refrences from the work of the Aristotle and the literary style he followed, and also gave us 6 videos to watch regarding the task, from that we can understand what Aristotle said about the tragedy. The discussions is below there.

Preface to the Aristotle :- 

Aristotle, the most eminent disciple of Plato, was a scholar, logician, practical philosopher, and literary critic. Unlike Plato, who viewed poetry through a moral lens, Aristotle evaluated literature on the basis of aesthetics. His key critical works are The Poetics and The Rhetoric, which discuss the art of poetry and the art of speaking respectively. In The Poetics, Aristotle analyzed the nature and components of Tragedy, Comedy, and Epic. Though much of his original work was lost, his insights on tragedy, particularly the concept of Catharsis, have had lasting influence. He emphasized that tragedy should balance pity and fear to evoke a purifying emotional experience. Aristotle's contributions laid the foundation for classical criticism and continue to be relevant for understanding literature as an art form.

Plato’s Theory of Mimesis and Aristotle’s Defence

Plato’s Theory of Mimesis (Imitation):

 - Plato viewed art as mimesis, meaning imitating and taken for somewhere of reality. In his view, all physical things are imperfect copies of the ideal "Forms" (ultimate truths). Since art imitates these imperfect copies, it is twice removed from truth. He argued that poets and artists appeal to emotion, not reason, and can mislead people morally and intellectually, especially the youth. Thus, he proposed censoring or banning poets in his ideal Republic.

Aristotle’s Defense:

 - Aristotle, Plato’s student, defended mimesis in his work Poetics. He argued that imitation is necessary and natural to humans and a means of learning and understanding to be educated something. Unlike Plato, he saw art as a way to represent universal truths and reality. Especially in tragedy, art evokes catharsis—the purging of emotions like pity and fear—which is emotionally and morally beneficial.

In summary:

- Plato = Art is deceptive and harmful; must be controlled.

- Aristotle = Art is meaningful, educational, and emotionally healing.

  

 Aristotle’s Concept of Tragedy

 - Aristotle’s Concept of Tragedy (from Poetics) is a foundational theory in literary criticism. He defines tragedy as:

“An imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude, in language embellished with artistic ornaments, in the form of action, not narration, with incidents arousing pity and fear to achieve the catharsis of such emotions.”

Key Concepts:

1.Mimesis (Imitation):-

- In that the Tragedy imitates real, serious human actions and experiences.

2.Plot (Mythos):-

- The most important element. It must have in the Tragedy.

- Unity (beginning, middle, end) Cause and effect chain combines the elements and the moment of the plot.

- Reversal (Peripeteia):  It's make Sudden change in fortune and the welfare of the characters.

- Recognition (Anagnorisis): Moment of self-awareness

- Suffering (Pathos): Leads to tragic end of the life of main hero and the other characters.

3.Tragic Hero:- 

- A noble character with a tragic flaw (Hamartia) that leads to his downfall and the tragic end at the end of the story. The hero’s fall evokes pity and fear in the mind of the readers.

4.Hamartia:-

- The hero’s error in judgment or character flaw and can't get the point from the behaviour of the other's characters. (e.g., ambition, pride).

5. Catharsis:

- The audience’s emotional cleansing through the feelings of pity and fear aroused by the tragedy.

6.Character (Ethos):

- Characters Should be noble, believable, and consistent. Their fate must seem justified yet tragic in the end .

7.Thought (Dianoia):

- The moral or message conveyed through the plot and dialogue through the characters.

8.Diction (Lexis):

- The style and language used and should be appropriate, poetic, and expressive thaughts were justified.

9.Melody (Melos):

- In the Musical element, especially important in Greek tragedies (chorus).

10.Spectacle (Opsis):

Tragic Visual elements of the play. Aristotle considered it the least important, as true tragedy lies in the plot and emotion.

 Aristotle’s tragedy focuses on a noble hero, a serious plot with reversals, emotional impact, and a moral purpose, aiming to purify the audience’s emotions through catharsis.

- Our professor also gave us a six question regarding this theories and below there were answers of the following questions.

1.To what extent do you agree with Plato's objection to the freedom of expression and artistic liberty enjoyed by creative writers? Identify texts (novels, plays, poems, movies, TV soaps, etc.) that can be justifiably objected to and banned based on Plato's objections.

Analysis:- 

  Plato objected to artistic freedom primarily in his Republic, arguing that poets and artists appeal to emotions rather than reason values, mislead the public with illusions, and corrupt moral values and moral purpose especially of the youth. He believed art should serve moral and educational purposes, aligned with the ideals of the state.

 To some extent, his concerns are valid, especially when content promotes violence, hatred, or moral decay without accountability. However, absolute censorship contradicts democratic values and the right to individual expression.

Examples of texts that Plato might object to:

Movies:A Clockwork Orange (for glorifying violence), Joker (for inspiring nihilism)

TV Shows: 13 Reasons Why (accused of romanticizing suicide)

Novels: Lolita by Nabokov (for moral corruption)

Songs/Poetry: Certain rap lyrics promoting misogyny or crime

While Plato's views on censorship may seem extreme, they still prompt important questions about the social responsibility of artists and the ethical boundaries of creative freedom.

2. Referring to the literary texts you studied during your B.A. program, write a brief note on the texts that followed the Aristotelian literary tradition (i.e., his concepts of tragedy, catharsis, tragic hero with hamartia, etc.).

   King Lear and the Aristotelian Tradition

 - Shakespeare’s 'King Lear' aligns closely with Aristotle’s concept of tragedy as outlined in 'Poetics'. Lear, the tragic hero, possesses 'hamartia'—a fatal flaw, namely his 'pride and blindness to truth'and that which leads to his downfall. His decision to divide his kingdom based on flattery sets the tragic events in motion.

The play evokes 'catharsis', as the audience experiences 'pity and fear' watching Lear’s descent from a powerful king to a broken man. His suffering, recognition of his error (anagnorisis), and eventual tragic end fulfill the Aristotelian model. The unity of action (a single, serious plot) and the moral consequences also reflect classical tragedy.

Thus, 'King Lear' exemplifies the Aristotelian tragedy through its tragic hero, emotional depth, and moral reflection.

3.Referring to the literary texts you studied during your B.A. program, write a brief note on the texts that did not follow the Aristotelian literary tradition (i.e., his concepts of tragedy, catharsis, tragic hero with hamartia, etc.).

- The Waste Land and the Rejection of Aristotelian Tradition

T.S. Eliot’s 'The Waste Land' does not follow the Aristotelian literary tradition. Unlike classical tragedy, the poem lacks a 'central tragic hero', 'structured plot' , or 'hamartia' leading to a clear downfall. Instead, it presents a 'fragmented, non-linear narrative'  with multiple voices and cultural references, reflecting the 'disorder and spiritual emptiness' of post–World War I society.

There is 'no catharsis' in the Aristotelian sense, as the poem offers 'no emotional resolution' or moral clarity. Its 'modernist style' rejects unity of time, place, and action, favoring disjointed images and symbolism.

Thus, 'The Waste Land' breaks away from Aristotelian tragedy, embodying the 'modernist disillusionment' and the collapse of traditional literary forms.

4. Have you studied any tragedies during your B.A. program? Who was/were the tragic protagonist(s) in those tragedies? What was their 'hamartia'?

 - In Shakespeare’s 'Macbeth' the tragedy, the tragic protagonist is 'Macbeth' himself.

 - Tragic Protagonist:- 

The Macbeth is a brave Scottish general and thane and also central charector of the tragedy.

- His 'Hamartia' (Tragic Flaw):- 

Ambition: Macbeth's overpowering ambition to become king drives him to murder Duncan, leading to a chain of crimes and his eventual downfall.

Moral weakness and influence of external forces (especially Lady Macbeth and the witches' prophecies) also contribute, but ambition remains his central flaw.

- Result:- 

 His unchecked ambition leads to paranoia, tyranny, loss of conscience, and finally his death in battle, fulfilling the classical model of a tragic downfall due to a personal flaw.

5. Discuss a recent controversy in literature, film, or the arts that echoes Plato's objections to artistic freedom. What is your stance on this controversy? Provide an example of one such controversy.

 Controversy: The Netflix Series '13 Reasons Why'

A major recent controversy that echoes 'Plato’s objections to artistic freedom' is the release of the Netflix series '13 Reasons Why'. The show, centered around a teenager’s suicide, faced widespread criticism for ''romanticizing mental illness, self-harm, and suicide'', especially among vulnerable youth.

 Plato’s Concern:

Plato argued that art should "promote moral virtue", not stir "dangerous emotions" or corrupt the audience. '13 Reasons Why' was accused of doing exactly that—triggering harmful emotional responses without offering constructive solutions or ethical guidance.

 Public Reaction:

Mental health professionals, parents, and schools expressed concern that the show’s graphic content might lead to "copycat suicides", prompting Netflix to eventually "remove certain scenes" and add "trigger warnings".

 My Stance:

While freedom of artistic expression is essential, creators also carry social responsibility is that  especially when addressing sensitive issues like mental health. '13 Reasons Why' failed to balance emotional impacts with ethical care. In line with Plato's concern, "art should not endanger its audience", even unintentionally.

In conclusion, the controversy reflects the"ongoing tension" between artistic liberty and moral accountability of Plato's critique remains strikingly relevant today.

- The explanation of Videos 

In that videos there were a classical debate between Plato and Aristotle regarding poetry and literary criticism:

1.Plato's Critique of Poetry:

Plato argues that poets are irrational and misleading, creating in a state of emotional frenzy. He sees poetry as immoral and deceptive, portraying gods and reality falsely, and thus believes poets corrupt the soul and should be excluded from an ideal society.

2.Aristotle’s Defense of Poetry:

Aristotle counters Plato by redefining mimesis (imitation) as a creative and meaningful act. He believes poetry can convey universal truths and foster emotional balance through catharsis, especially in tragedy.

3.Philosophical Foundations of Mimesis:

The concept of mimesis is further elaborated as central to both philosophers—Plato sees it as a distortion of truth, while Aristotle sees it as a productive form of artistic expression that reflects deeper realities.

4.Aristotle’s Theory of Tragedy: 

Tragedy is defined by Aristotle as an imitation of serious action with a complete structure, involving catharsis, peripeteia (reversal), and anagnorisis (recognition). The plot is considered the soul of tragedy, more important than character.

5.The Tragic Hero:

A tragic hero is a relatable character who usually experiences downfall due to a fatal flaw (hamartia)—usually an error in judgment or hubris—allowing the audience to both empathize and learn.

Conclusion 

This overview captures the essence of the classical literary arguments and how they shape our understanding of literature and the role of the Plato and Aristotle, especially tragedy, even in modern contexts like films and media that also define in this blog with the core argument and the examples.

Refrences 

 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/373258361_Aristotle's_Poetics

- Some content taken from help of chat GTP