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Characterization in Drama and Oratory—Poetics 1450a20

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 February 2009

Lionel Pearson
Affiliation:
Stanford University

Extract

It may not occur to a modern reader of the Poetics to think that Aristotle is drawing contrasts between poetry and oratory. But there is one aspect of tragedy which must have forced him to think of a contrast with oratory, especially forensic oratory, even though he seems to make no special effort to draw it to the reader's attention. This is the matter of characterization. He does not believe that it is the purpose of tragedy to illustrate character; he says that action, not ethical quality, is the of tragedy, that action and plot are what matter most and that action is not subordinate to character-representation.

Information

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Classical Association 1968

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