Poetics | Page 4

for Tragedy endeavours, as far as possible, to confine itself
to a single revolution of the sun, or but slightly to exceed this limit;
whereas the Epic action has no limits of time. This, then, is a second

point of difference; though at first the same freedom was admitted in
Tragedy as in Epic poetry.
Of their constituent parts some are common to both, some peculiar to
Tragedy, whoever, therefore, knows what is good or bad Tragedy,
knows also about Epic poetry. All the elements of an Epic poem are
found in Tragedy, but the elements of a Tragedy are not all found in the
Epic poem.

VI
Of the poetry which imitates in hexameter verse, and of Comedy, we
will speak hereafter. Let us now discuss Tragedy, resuming its formal
definition, as resulting from what has been already said.
Tragedy, then, is an imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and
of a certain magnitude; 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, not of narrative; through pity and fear
effecting the proper purgation of these emotions. By 'language
embellished,' I mean language into which rhythm, 'harmony,' and song
enter. By 'the several kinds in separate parts,' I mean, that some parts
are rendered through the medium of verse alone, others again with the
aid of song.
Now as tragic imitation implies persons acting, it necessarily follows,
in the first place, that Spectacular equipment will be a part of Tragedy.
Next, Song and Diction, for these are the medium of imitation. By
'Diction' I mean the mere metrical arrangement of the words: as for
'Song,' it is a term whose sense every one understands.
Again, Tragedy is the imitation of an action; and an action implies
personal agents, who necessarily possess certain distinctive qualities
both of character and thought; for it is by these that we qualify actions
themselves, and these--thought and character--are the two natural
causes from which actions spring, and on actions again all success or

failure depends. Hence, the Plot is the imitation of the action: for by
plot I here mean the arrangement of the incidents. By Character I mean
that in virtue of which we ascribe certain qualities to the agents.
Thought is required wherever a statement is proved, or, it may be, a
general truth enunciated. Every Tragedy, therefore, must have six parts,
which parts determine its quality--namely, Plot, Character, Diction,
Thought, Spectacle, Song. Two of the parts constitute the medium of
imitation, one the manner, and three the objects of imitation. And these
complete the list. These elements have been employed, we may say, by
the poets to a man; in fact, every play contains Spectacular elements as
well as Character, Plot, Diction, Song, and Thought.
But most important of all is the structure of the incidents. For Tragedy
is an imitation, not of men, but of an action and of life, and life consists
in action, and its end is a mode of action, not a quality. Now character
determines men's qualities, but it is by their actions that they are happy
or the reverse. Dramatic action, therefore, is not with a view to the
representation of character: character comes in as subsidiary to the
actions. Hence the incidents and the plot are the end of a tragedy; and
the end is the chief thing of all. Again, without action there cannot be a
tragedy; there may be without character. The tragedies of most of our
modern poets fail in the rendering of character; and of poets in general
this is often true. It is the same in painting; and here lies the difference
between Zeuxis and Polygnotus. Polygnotus delineates character well:
the style of Zeuxis is devoid of ethical quality. Again, if you string
together a set of speeches expressive of character, and well finished in
point of diction and thought, you will not produce the essential tragic
effect nearly so well as with a play which, however deficient in these
respects, yet has a plot and artistically constructed incidents. Besides
which, the most powerful elements of emotional: interest in Tragedy
Peripeteia or Reversal of the Situation, and Recognition scenes--are
parts of the plot. A further proof is, that novices in the art attain to
finish: of diction and precision of portraiture before they can construct
the plot. It is the same with almost all the early poets.
The Plot, then, is the first principle, and, as it were, the soul of a
tragedy: Character holds the second place. A similar fact is seen in

painting. The most beautiful colours, laid on confusedly, will not give
as much pleasure as the chalk outline of a portrait. Thus Tragedy is the
imitation of an action,