Poetics (Penguin Classics) New Ed Edition

by Aristotle (Author), Malcolm Heath (Translator)

40 ratings

ISBN-13: 978-0140446364

ISBN-10: 9780140446364

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Essential reading for all students of Greek theatre and literature, and equally stimulating for anyone interested in literature

In the Poetics, his near-contemporary account of classical Greek tragedy, Aristotle examine the dramatic elements of plot, character, language and spectacle that combine to produce pity and fear in the audience, and asks why we derive pleasure from this apparently painful process. Taking examples from the plays of Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides, the Poetics introduced into literary criticism such central concepts as mimesis ('imitation'), hamartia ('error') and katharsis, which have informed serious thinking about drama ever since. Aristotle explains how the most effective tragedies rely on complication and resolution, recognition and reversals, while centring on chaaracerts of heroic stature, idealised yet true to life. One of the most perceptive and influential works of criticism in Western literary history, the Poetics has informed serious thinking about drama ever since.

Malcolm Heath's lucid translation makes the Poetics fully accessible to the modern reader. In this edition it is accompanied by an extended introduction, which discusses the key concepts in detail, and includes suggestions for further reading.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

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Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Greek

From the Back Cover

Aristotle's Poetics is one of the most powerful, perceptive and influential works of criticism in Western literary history. A penetrating, near-contemporary account of Greek tragedy, it demonstrates how the elements of plot, character and spectacle combine to produce 'pity and fear' - and why we derive pleasure from this apparently painful process. It introduces the crucial concepts of mimesis ('imitation'), hamartia ('error') and katharsis, which have informed serious thinking about drama ever since. It examines the mythological heroes, idealized yet true to life, whom Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides brought on to the stage. And it explains how the most effective plays rely on complication and resolution, recognitions and reversals. Essential reading for all students of Greek literature and of the many Renaissance and post-Renaissance writers who consciously adopted Aristotle as a model, the Poetics is equally stimulating for anyone interested in theatre today.

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Product details

Series: Penguin Classics
Paperback: 144 pages
Publisher: Penguin Classics; New Ed edition (March 1, 1997)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9780140446364
ISBN-13: 978-0140446364
ASIN: 0140446362
Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5 x 0.4 inches
Shipping Weight: 4.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Customer Reviews: 35 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #41,057 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #2 in Aesthetics (Books)
- #12 in Medieval Literary Criticism (Books)
- #7 in Russian Poetry

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35 customer reviews

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Manjari

It's a photocopy of the original!

December 29, 2018

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

The book is nothing but a poor quality hard cover with someone else's markings etc (photocopied too) Even the print of it is poor quality.. Definitely not worth $22. Although the content is in public domain and they are just making photocopies and selling it for this price, the quality of the book overall is poor!

5 people found this helpful

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Knife G

Excellent But Needs thought

April 30, 2013

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I read this book in an effort to enhance my personal hobby of script writing. If I recall correctly, I read somehwere that this is an important book regarding proper plot structure. Having read the book I believe this to be true. It touches upon tragedy, epics, comedies, plot, character, reasoning among other things.
Granted, this was written at a time when theater and poetry were the thing (LEDs were not in fashion at the time). And when taken in that context, the book makes a lot of sense. I have since found the structure to be in many movies I have watched over the years. It has added significant value to how I am developing characters in my stories and the stories themselves.
This is not a definitive guide. Story telling has eveolved throughout the ages. But, knowing the evolution helps write better. Or at least it does for me.
As with the writings of all philosophers (and I personally like Aristotle), the text is meant to be studied. It is NOT a step by step guide. You read a little and think a lot. Happy reading!

5 people found this helpful

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Django Rienhardt

Essential Background to the Development of Western Literature

March 4, 2015

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This review refers to the "Penguin Classics" edition with an introduction by Malcolm Health: This book was often referred to by both my high school and college literature teachers although it has taken me an additional +20 years to actually read the book. I am glad I did. I think those interested in western literature or aesthetics will find Poetic's to be an essential read as it provides the initial codification of concepts such as tragedy, comedy, plot, unity, character, and katharsis. Malcolm Heath's introduction is absolutely essential and is worth the price of the book alone.

5 people found this helpful

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MattMerk

I really should have known better...

December 1, 2018

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I read the author's intro before getting the book and immediately saw the translator wasn't a big fan of paragraphs. The guy must have a vendetta. Big long tracts of text with very few paragraph pauses make this a real slog. There are much better translations out there.

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Amazon Customer

THE text for creative writers

April 23, 2017

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

this is THE foundation text for all creative writers, not just screen writers! I'm glad to have it as part of my permanent collection, where I can turn to it again and again for inspiration.

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Leigh Wyatt Clark

Malcolm Heath translation and annotation of Aristotle's Poetics (Penguin)

June 12, 2014

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

The Penguin Aristotle editions are probably the best available for nonspecialists with limited or no classical Greek. The long and detailed introduction is worth the cost of this book alone; and the translation itself is scrupulous and scrupulously annotated with detailed notes and references to historical contexts and Aristotle's other writings. (The H.C. Lawson-Tancred translation and annotation of Aristotle's Art of Rhetoric is another outstanding example.) I have read the Poetics in various translations for over forty years. This is by far the best translation for conveying, as nearly as possible, what Aristotle actually wrote and, even more importantly, the historical and literary contexts in which he wrote and the consequent inferences his first Greek readers would have been expected to make based on what they knew. It's also a very readable translation (no small feat with Aristotle, who can be made very tough going in English by translators more interested in showing off their erudition than assisting readers). This is the translation to buy for students or casual readers making their first attempt at Aristotle, or by more seasoned readers who have been confused or discouraged by enigmatic translations without notes. This is also an economically priced translation, a much better buy than the cheaper, unannotated translations.

8 people found this helpful

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Cal Baldari

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Poetics (Penguin Classics) New Ed Edition

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