Poetics
AristotleThe most influential single text in the history of storytelling.
Why It's Lindy
The most influential single text in the history of storytelling. The dramatic arc, the fatal flaw, catharsis, the unity of action — all Aristotle's, all still operative in every film school and creative writing programme today. Hollywood screenwriters follow Aristotle without knowing it. 2,350 years old and no one has produced a better theory of why some stories last and others don't.
About This Volume
Aristotle's analysis of tragedy, comedy, and epic poetry, identifying the structural elements — plot, character, thought, diction, song, spectacle — that make a dramatic work succeed, and coining the concept of catharsis.
Frequently Asked
Why should I read Poetics?
The most influential single text in the history of storytelling. The dramatic arc, the fatal flaw, catharsis, the unity of action — all Aristotle's, all still operative in every film school and creative writing programme today. Hollywood screenwriters follow Aristotle without knowing it. 2,350 years old and no one has produced a better theory of why some stories last and others don't.
What is Poetics about?
Aristotle's analysis of tragedy, comedy, and epic poetry, identifying the structural elements — plot, character, thought, diction, song, spectacle — that make a dramatic work succeed, and coining the concept of catharsis.
