Universals, Plot and Form in Aristotle’s Poetics
نویسنده
چکیده
sense; the plot qua καθόλου is no particular play, but the general form of any number of dramas. The subsequent plot summary of Iphigenia among the Taurians (1455b3-12) confirms this sense of καθόλου as the form of the plot; Aristotle’s description excludes specific episodic details such as names and places, and is so concerned with the abstract organization of events that it even posits that the brother’s 41 I will only discuss six of these, as the meaning at 1450b12 concerns διάνοια and not plot. 42 Crates’ status as a comic poet does not contaminate the discussion of tragic poetry, as the point pertains to the meaning of καθόλου vis-à-vis plot. Comedy, like tragedy, has a structured plot, but the difference lies in the plot structures’ respective goals: comedy does not aim to arouse pity and fear as tragedy does. 43 Cf. Lucas (op. cit., ad loc.). Lucas’ point on καθόλου as 'generalizing' would be appropriate were λόγοι the only thing in question; the inclusion of μῦθοι here can only refer to the form of plot. 44 Again, Lucas (op. cit., ad loc.) reads καθόλου as “generalizing” as opposed to
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