English 10: Aristotle
English 10: Aristotle
English 10: Aristotle
Aristotle
a Greek Philosopher
was born in 384 B.C. in Stagira in northern Greece
one of the greatest intellectual figures of Western history.
made significant and lasting contributions to nearly every aspect of human knowledge, from logic to
biology to ethics and aesthetics.
In Arabic philosophy, he was known as “The First Teacher”; in the West, he was “The Philosopher.”
Drama
comes from the Greek Word, “dran” which means “to do or act”
originated in Greece over 2,500 years ago as an outgrowth of the worship of the god Dionysus.
during Dionysian festivals, a group of 50 citizens of Athens, known as a chorus, would perform hymns of
praise to the god. These were known as dithyrambic poetry.
2 Types of Drama
1. Tragedy
the oldest known form of drama
shows the downfall or death of a tragic hero, or main character
in ancient Greek plays, the hero was a good person brought down by a tragic flaw, or defect in character.
in a modern plays, the hero can be an normal person destroyed by an evil in society.
emphasizes human greatness.
2. Comedy
often shows a conflict between opposite age groups , genders, or personality types.
typical comedies involve confusion, jokes, and a happy ending.
stresses human weaknesses.
1. Plot
What happens in the play?
Aristotle asserted: that plot is the “life and soul of the drama.”
Components of a Plot
Exposition - provides the audience with essential information — who, what, when, where
Inciting Incident - what begins the conflict; the exciting force or challenge
Rising Action or Complication - the period in which the audience’s tension and expectations become
tightly intertwined and involved with the characters and the events they experience
Climax or turning point - the moment of greatest tension
Denouement or resolution - the “untying of the knot,” in which the tension built up during the play is released
2. Characters
3. Thought
4. Diction
what we would call a playwrights “style” or the language and vocabulary he/she uses.
this refers to the words used and their placement in the text of a play.
often, differences in diction within a play indicate differences in characters.
5. Music
Aristotle’s definition of music includes all of the audio elements of theatre, not just instrumental or vocal.
--noises made by actors --sound effects
It may establish mood, it mat characterize, it may suggest ideas or feelings
6. Spectacle
All the visual elements of production in the movement and spatial relations of characters, the lighting,
setting, costumes and properties
18 plays survived