Aristotle's Poetics

by Stephen Halliwell

In this, the fullest, sustained interpretation of Aristotle's Poetics available in English, Stephen Halliwell demonstrates that the Poetics , despite its laconic brevity, is a coherent statement of a challenging theory of poetic art, and it hints towards a theory of mimetic art in general. Assessing this theory against the background of earlier Greek views on poetry and art, particularly Plato's, Halliwell goes further than any previous author in setting Aristotle's ideas in the wider context of his philosophical system.

The core of the book is a fresh appraisal of Aristotle's view of tragic drama, in which Halliwell contends that at the heart of the Poetics lies a philosophical urge to instill a secularized understanding of Greek tragedy.

"Essential reading not only for all serious students of the Poetics . . . but also for those—the great majority—who have prudently fought shy of it altogether."—B. R. Rees, Classical Review

"A splendid work of scholarship and analysis . . . a brilliant interpretation."—Alexander Nehamas, Times Literary Supplement

Genres: Philosophy, Literary Criticism, Classics

384 pages, Paperback

Published December 1, 1998

Reviews

[Sam]

I finally read this. I read it for no other reason than to say “I’ve read Aristotle’s Poetics.” Now I will be able to say “I’ve read Aristotle’s Poetics.” I’ve read Aristotle’s Poetics.

[Steve Chisnell · Rating 3 out of 5]

How does one write a less than stellar review of one of the greatest works by the greatest philosophers of all time? By describing its readability vs its value received.

First, if you have read any decent summaries or discussions of Aristotle's views of poetry and literature (even on grammar), there is very little different here, though perhaps due to translation a bit more confusing in places. If you have not, scholarly summaries of his views are more concise and revealing for the basics. The Poetics is brief, and Aristotle wastes little time is diagramming and categorizing his subjects: what makes poetry/drama worthwhile and how does one know?

Reading the work directly also comes with some surprises. I did not realize, for instance, how much time Aristotle would spend (especially in the second half of the work) discussing the historical nuances of Greek grammar in terms of literary function. For this alone--as almost literally unapproachable for me--if you do not read Greek, this part of the work isn't very accessible! Confining the rest of this review to the broader discussion of literature in the first half, then, I was gratified to see him cite so many examples of poetry and performance of his day, naming works and writers as historical and contemporary, and weighing their artistic skill alongside one another. Spoiler: Euripides is one of his favorites.)

All in all, however, I left the work having learned little that I had not previously studied. On the other hand, I had a better appreciation not only for what the philosopher established for Western art, but how narrow and limited that foundation has since become for the imaginative possibilities art now explores.

[Theo · Rating 4 out of 5]

There seems to be some ambiguity in the reviews for this book, no doubt due to the imprudent choice of title. This is Halliwell's commentary on the Aristotle's Poetics, rather than the primary text. Throat-clearing aside, let us proceed:

I wouldn't call this book accessible, but it's not meant to be. It's a scholarly work in the best sense of the word. Halliwell covers an extraordinary range of secondary material, as well as engaging with the cultural, political and literary context of the Poetics. Special attention is given to the way in which the Poetics might be read as a response to Plato's theory of aesthetics, for example. The breadth of the material covered here would put 99% of today's "academics" to shame. It has far more in common with 19th century than 21st century scholarship. The occasional snarky footnote brings levity to an otherwise sober work.

I deprive Halliwell of a fifth star only because the hair-splitting can get a bit tiresome, even though it would be of much interest to Halliwell's fellow classicists. Much ink is spilled on the definition of single words, such as katharsis. This may be a bit much for the everyday reader, though I'm sure it's a feast for those with a feverish interest in antiquity. Perhaps my refusal to meet the book on its own terms is unfair. So be it.

Petty reservations notwithstanding, this work is a major achievement that sluggards like yours truly could never hope to emulate.

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant work of long, deep thought on The Poetics. It's dense and demanding of focused attention, but it repays that effort with a much enhanced understanding of Aristotle and Greek Tragedy.

[Countess of Frogmere · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to be a writer, or if you want to deepen your understanding of literature, you must read this book. In it, Aristotle explains the laws of literature. It's amazing how fresh his ideas still seem, and how applicable they still are.

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not the right edition, but G1 reading list

[Karen]

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