A Screenwriter’s Guide to Aristotle’s “Poetics”

“Poetics” by Aristotle is considered by many to be the most important text related to writing in history. I figured why not a weekly series where we go through the book chapter by chapter.

Introduction: The Nature and Purpose of the Arts

Part 1: Structure and Imitation

Part 2: Moral Character, Types, Tragedy and Comedy

Part 3: Medium, Objects, Manner

Part 4: Poetry and the Development of Tragedy

Part 5: Comedy and Epic Poetry

Part 6(A): The 6 Parts of Tragedy

Part 6(B): Character and Thought

Part 6(C): The 6 Parts of Tragedy, Part 2

Part 6(D): Plot First, Character Second

Part 6(E): Thought Third

Part 6(F): Diction Fourth, Song Fifth

Part 6(G): Spectacle Sixth

Part 7(A): Beginning, Middle, End

Part 7(B): Beauty, Magnitude, and Order

Part 7(C): Story Length and Change of Fortune

Part 8: Unity

Part 9(A): Poet and Historian

Part 9(B): Possibility, Probability and Necessity

Part 9(C): Episodic

Part 9(D): Surprise, Cause and Effect

Part 10: Simple and Complex Plots

Part 11: Reversal, Recognition and Suffering

Part 12: Prologue, Episode, Exode and Chorus

Part 13(A): A Perfect Tragedy

Part 13(B): A Well-Constructed Plot

Part 14(A): Fear and Pity

Part 14(B): The Conditions of a Tragedy

Part 15(A): Four Qualities of a Tragic Hero

Part 15(B): The Unraveling of the Plot

Part 15(C): The Example of Good Portrait Painters

Part 16: Recognition

Part 17: Plot and Episode

Part 18(A): Complication and Denouement

Part 18(B): Four Kinds of Tragedy

Part 18(C): Multiplicity of Plots

Part 18(D): Chorus

Part 19: Thought and Diction

Parts 20+21: Language and Words

Part 22: Word Choice

Part 23: Unity of Action

Part 24: Tragedy and Epic Poem

Part 25: Impossible and Improbable

Part 26: Tragedy vs. Epic Poems

It’s essential reading, folks. This series breaks it down for you.

A Screenwriter’s Guide to Aristotle’s “Poetics” was originally published in Go Into The Story on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

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Author: Scott Myers

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