Aristotle’s Poetics Explained — And Why It Matters For Screenwriters

Summary

This video explores Aristotle's 'Poetics,' a foundational text for storytelling that emphasizes plot as the core of a narrative. It outlines Aristotle's six elements: Plot, Character, Thought, Diction, Spectacle, and Song, and discusses their significance in creating compelling stories. The video uses examples from films like 'Midsommar,' 'Cape Fear,' and 'Rushmore' to illustrate these principles, showing how they contribute to a story's emotional impact and audience engagement.

Takeaways

• 📜 Aristotle's 'Poetics' is a foundational text in literary theory, offering insights into the principles of poetry, drama, and storytelling.
• 🎭 The central thesis of 'Poetics' is that storytelling is an imitative art form, reflecting real-world objects and experiences.
• 📚 Aristotle emphasizes the importance of plot, suggesting it is the most crucial element of narrative, consisting of a beginning, middle, and end.
• 🔄 He introduces concepts like peripeteia (reversal of fortune), anagnorisis (critical discovery), and catharsis (emotional relief) as key to creating a satisfying tragic ending.
• 💡 The 'Poetics' highlights causality in storytelling, where each scene should logically lead to the next, contributing to a cohesive narrative.
• 👤 Character, the second most important element according to Aristotle, should be 'good' in purpose, consistent, and relatable to the audience.
• 🤔 Thought, or the intellectual stimulation a story provides, is considered an essential element that can impart larger ideas or themes to the audience.
• ✍️ Diction, or the choice of words and sentence structure, should be clear to enhance the story's effectiveness and should not overshadow character or thought.
• 🎭 Spectacle and song are considered embellishments that can heighten emotion and drama but should not be the primary means of engaging the audience.
• 🎥 Modern storytelling, including film, can still benefit from Aristotle's principles, as seen in the structure and themes of various movies mentioned in the script.

Q & A

What is the central thesis of Aristotle's Poetics?

The central thesis of Aristotle's Poetics is that epic poems and the stories within them are imitative, meaning they are art forms that represent real-world objects and actions. Aristotle argues that humans are naturally drawn to imitation, which is why storytelling is so popular.

What are the six principles of narrative outlined by Aristotle?

Aristotle outlines six principles of narrative: Character, Thought, Diction, Spectacle, Song, and Plot. Plot is considered the most important, as it provides the structure of a story with a beginning, middle, and end, including rising and falling action.

What are the three crucial beats for tragedies that Aristotle defines?

Aristotle defines three crucial beats for tragedies: Peripeteia (a sudden reversal of fortune), Anagnorisis (when a character makes a critical discovery), and Catharsis (the emotional relief in an audience).

How does Aristotle emphasize the importance of causality in storytelling?

Aristotle emphasizes causality by stating that compelling stories should have scenes with a clear cause and effect between each other, where each plot point builds on the other until the ultimate climax. He argues against 'Episodic' stories where acts don't have a logical sequence.

What is meant by 'unity of action' in the context of Aristotle's Poetics?

Unity of action refers to the idea that the story should revolve around a single drive or purpose. It doesn't mean focusing on one main character, but rather concentrating on one of their goals that propels the plot.

How does Aristotle view the role of character in a narrative?

Aristotle views characters as crucial to a narrative. He argues that characters must be 'good' in the sense that their purpose is good, even if their actions are not always morally right. Characters should also be consistent, meaning their actions and dialogue should feel natural to their personhood.

What is the role of 'thought' in a story according to Aristotle's Poetics?

According to Aristotle, 'thought' in a story refers to making the audience think about the larger ideas or themes at hand. It can be seen as the elements of a narrative that impart a lesson or general truth to the audience.

What does Aristotle mean by 'Diction' in the context of storytelling?

Diction, for Aristotle, refers to word choice, grammatical decisions, and sentence structure. He emphasizes clarity in diction and warns against over-reliance on figurative language and complex verbiage, which can obscure character and thought.

How do 'Spectacle' and 'Song' function in a narrative according to Aristotle?

Spectacle and Song serve as 'Embellishments' in a narrative, heightening the emotion and drama already present. Spectacle refers to visual aesthetics like costumes or special effects, while Song refers to musical accompaniment. Aristotle cautions against over-reliance on these elements, suggesting they should be secondary to plot, character, and thought.

What is the significance of Aristotle's Poetics in modern storytelling?

Aristotle's Poetics remains significant in modern storytelling as it provides a foundational framework for understanding narrative structure and elements. Many contemporary films and stories still adhere to the principles outlined by Aristotle, demonstrating their enduring relevance.

Outlines

00:00

📜 Introduction to Aristotle's Poetics

The paragraph introduces the concept of what makes a story great and references Aristotle's 'Poetics' as a timeless guide for storytelling. It highlights that Aristotle's work is still influential today, particularly in the fields of ethics, politics, and literature. The 'Poetics' is described as the earliest surviving piece of literary theory, focusing on the principles of poetry, drama, and storytelling. Aristotle posits that storytelling is imitative and that humans are naturally drawn to imitation, which explains the popularity of storytelling. The paragraph also mentions the structure of a good plot, including a beginning, middle, and end, and the concept of causality in storytelling.

05:03

🎭 The Elements of Plot in Storytelling

This section delves into Aristotle's views on the importance of plot, which he considers the most crucial element of a narrative. It explains that a good plot should have a clear beginning, middle, and end, and should feature rising and falling action. The paragraph introduces three key beats for tragedies: peripeteia (sudden reversal of fortune), anagnorisis (critical discovery by a character), and catharsis (emotional relief for the audience). The narrative also touches on the importance of causality, where each scene should logically lead to the next, creating a cohesive and compelling story. Examples from films like 'Midsommar' and 'Cape Fear' are used to illustrate these concepts.

10:04

👤 The Role of Character in Narratives

The paragraph discusses Aristotle's views on character in storytelling, noting that while some of his ideas are outdated, many remain relevant. Aristotle argues that characters should be 'good' in the sense that their purpose is good, even if their actions are not always morally right. He also emphasizes the importance of consistency in characters, meaning that their actions and dialogue should align with their established personalities. The paragraph uses examples from films like 'Dirty Harry' and 'Doctor Strangelove' to illustrate how consistent characterization can enhance a story.

15:05

💭 The Significance of Thought in Storytelling

This section explores Aristotle's concept of 'thought' in narratives, which refers to the intellectual or thematic content that makes an audience reflect on larger ideas. Thought is seen as a narrative element that imparts lessons or general truths, which can be equated with the themes of a story in modern storytelling. The paragraph uses 'Starship Troopers' as an example of a film that uses thought to critique societal issues, elevating it beyond mere entertainment. The discussion highlights how thought can give a story a deeper purpose and impact.

20:09

🎨 Diction, Spectacle, and Song in Aristotle's Poetics

The final paragraph covers the remaining elements of Aristotle's poetics: diction, spectacle, and song. Diction refers to the choice of words and phrasing in a narrative, with Aristotle advocating for clarity and simplicity to ensure the audience's understanding. Spectacle and song are considered embellishments that enhance the emotional impact of a story but should not overshadow the core elements of plot, character, and thought. The paragraph provides examples from films like 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' and 'Contempt' to show how these elements can be effectively used in modern storytelling.

Keywords

💡Aristotle's Poetics

Aristotle's Poetics is an ancient Greek treatise on the nature of poetry and drama, written around 335 BC. It is considered one of the earliest works of literary theory and has had a profound influence on Western aesthetics. In the video, it serves as the foundational text for understanding the principles of storytelling, with its concepts still relevant today. The script discusses how Aristotle's ideas about plot, character, and other elements of narrative are applied in modern films.

💡Imitation

In the context of the video, imitation refers to Aristotle's belief that art, including storytelling, is a form of imitation of real-world objects and actions. This concept is central to Aristotle's Poetics, where he argues that humans are naturally drawn to imitation, which is why storytelling is so popular. The video uses this idea to explain why epic poetry and stories should feel real, even if they are fictional.

💡Plot

Aristotle considered plot to be the most important element of a narrative medium. In the video, plot is defined as having a beginning, a middle, and an end, with a clear cause and effect between scenes. The script uses examples from films like 'Midsommar' to illustrate how the plot's structure, including elements such as peripeteia, anagnorisis, and catharsis, contribute to a satisfying story arc.

💡Character

Character, as discussed in the video, is the second most important element of a narrative according to Aristotle. It involves the portrayal of individuals in a story, their traits, and their development. The video points out that characters should have a good purpose, be consistent in their actions, and their dialogue and actions should feel natural to their personhood, as seen in the examples from 'Dirty Harry' and 'Doctor Strangelove'.

💡Thought

Thought, in Aristotle's Poetics, refers to the intellectual or philosophical content of a story, which makes the audience think about larger ideas. In the video, this is equated with the modern concept of 'themes' in storytelling. The script uses 'Starship Troopers' as an example to show how thought or themes can elevate a film beyond mere entertainment, providing social commentary.

💡Diction

Diction, as explained in the video, pertains to the choice of words, grammatical structures, and sentence construction in a narrative. Aristotle emphasized clarity in diction, suggesting that overly complex language can obscure character and thought. The video illustrates this with examples from 'Deja Vu' and 'The Ring,' showing how clear and effective diction can convey character and build suspense.

💡Spectacle

Spectacle, in the context of the video, refers to the visual aspects of a story, such as costumes, set designs, and special effects. Aristotle warned against over-reliance on spectacle, as it can detract from the more artistic elements of plot and character. The video contrasts this with the use of spectacle in 'Everything Everywhere All at Once,' where it enhances but does not overpower the emotional core of the story.

💡Song

Song, as discussed in the video, refers to the musical elements of a narrative, which Aristotle considered secondary to plot and character but capable of enhancing emotional impact. The video uses 'Contempt' as an example, where the melancholic score heightens the film's themes of ennui and alienation, demonstrating the subtle but powerful role of music in storytelling.

💡Catharsis

Catharsis, a term originating from Aristotle's Poetics, refers to the emotional cleansing or relief experienced by the audience through the tragic elements of a story. In the video, it is used to describe the emotional release that occurs at the resolution of a narrative, such as the dark catharsis in 'Midsommar' where the protagonist and the audience purge negative feelings.

💡Unity of Action

Unity of action, as explained in the video, is Aristotle's concept that a story should revolve around a single driving action or goal. This doesn't mean focusing on one character but rather on one central purpose that propels the plot. The video uses 'Rushmore' to illustrate how the protagonist's singular drive to be with Rosemary creates a unified and compelling narrative.

Highlights

Aristotle's Poetics is a timeless guide for storytellers.

Aristotle was a Greek philosopher whose work continues to influence ethics, politics, and literature.

The 'Poetics' is the earliest surviving piece of literary theory, focusing on the principles of poetry and drama.

Aristotle argues that stories are imitative and humans are naturally drawn to imitation.

Epic poetry should feel real, even if the stories are fictional.

Aristotle's principles can be applied to all forms of modern storytelling.

Plot is the most important element of a narrative, according to Aristotle.

A good plot has a clear beginning, middle, and end, with rising and falling action.

Peripeteia, Anagnorisis, and Catharsis are crucial beats for creating a satisfying tragic ending.

Causality is essential; each scene should have a clear cause and effect.

Unity of action means the story should revolve around a single drive.

Character is the second most important element in a narrative.

Characters should have a consistent purpose, even if their actions are not always right.

Thought in a story should make the audience consider larger ideas or themes.

Diction refers to word choice and sentence structure, emphasizing clarity over complexity.

Spectacle and song serve as embellishments to heighten emotion and drama.

Aristotle cautions against over-reliance on spectacle and song, suggesting they should be secondary.

Mastering the elements of the Poetics can lead to creating a great story.

Transcripts

What makes a great story great?

It's a question as old as stories themselves.

And one of its most enduring answers comes from Aristotle.

Aristotle's Poetics is as relevant today as it was in ancient Greece.

What can we learn from the poetics?

"- You know what this is?"

- Why does it continue to be a guiding light for storytellers everywhere?

"- Well, let's find out."

- This is "What is Aristotle's Poetics"?

Before we get started, subscribe and click the bell for more filmmaking videos.

Thanks to the following subscribers for requesting this video.

Keep the suggestions coming in the comments.

We will be spoiling the following movies.

Let's begin.

"- I'm after the glamorous world of movie making."

- Aristotle was an ancient Greek philosopher born in 384 BC.

He was a student of Plato and eventually became one of the most important

figures in Western philosophy.

Today, Aristotle's work continues to shape the fields of ethics,

politics, and literature.

Aristotle wrote the 'Poetics' in around 335 BC.

The work is the earliest surviving piece of literary theory, offering a systematic

analysis of the basic principles of poetry, drama, and storytelling at large.

The central thesis of the text is that epic poems and the stories

within them are imitative.

They are an art form which are representations of real world objects.

Aristotle argues that humans are naturally drawn to imitation and that

is why storytelling is so popular.

"- Sheriff! He's over here!"

- As such, Aristotle claims epic poetry should feel real

even if its stories are fiction.

"- We need two big breads. - Two big breads coming up.

That's what I want, two big breaths. Big breaths.

Something with a brain."

The second portion of the 'Poetics' comedy has been lost.

So the sections which exist primarily focus on tragic epic poems.

But the lessons found in them can be applied to all

forms of storytelling today.

"- What is this?"

- Almost any narrative film follows the rules of some, if not all, of the

six principles laid out by Aristotle.

Character.

Thought.

Diction.

Spectacle.

Song.

And the first principle outlined by the philosopher - Plot.

Aristotle considered plot to be the most important element of a narrative medium.

He writes that a good plot has a beginning, a middle, and an end.

"- Smile, you son of a..."

- And that the arc of a story can be split into rising and falling action.

Or what Aristotle labels complication and unraveling or denouement.

Aristotle defines three crucial beats for tragedies in particular.

Peripeteia, which is a sudden reversal of fortune.

Anagnorisis, which is when a character makes a critical discovery.

And Catharsis, which refers to the emotional relief in an audience.

All three of these concepts often work together to create

a satisfying tragic ending.

In "Midsommar", the peripeteia is when Danny is crowned the May Queen.

"- You are our May Queen."

- Which is soon followed by the Anagnorisis

as Danny discovers Christian's infidelity.

Finally, there is a dark catharsis.

Danny and the audience purges the negative feelings built up through the film.

The poetics also emphasizes the importance of causality.

"- Your grandmother hasn't paid her taxes in over a decade."

- Compelling stories, Aristotle argues, should have scenes with a clear

cause and effect between each other.

"- I thought you were pro material.

Time to make the big bucks."

- Each plot point builds on top of the other until the ultimate climax.

He writes, 'If any one scene is displaced or removed, the whole

will be disjointed and disturbed.

For a thing whose presence or absence makes no visible difference is

not an organic part of the whole'.

Aristotle calls stories which don't have causality 'Episodic', where the

acts don't have any logical sequence.

"- First time?"

- Martin Scorsese's "Cape Fear" has a plot which ascribes to all the

qualities Aristotle outlines.

Each scene is directly related to the last.

"- So do you believe that annoying loser guy?

- Dad, you should have just punched him out.

- What? Just punched him out?"

- Max is terrorizing Sam and his family.

And as the plot progresses, his actions grow more and more threatening.

Resulting in Sam taking more and more drastic actions to defend his family.

"- If you don't leave my family alone and if you don't get out of here, you're

gonna be hurting like you never dreamed."

- This game of one upmanship means that each scene builds on the one before.

"Ha! Ugh! Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!"

- Another defining quality of a good plot, according to

Aristotle, is unity of action.

In other words, the story should revolve around a single drive.

Aristotle notes, 'Unity of action isn't simply achieved by

focusing on one main character.

"- But we need to work together to get the hell out of here, right?"

- He writes, 'Unity of plot does not consist in the unity of the hero.

For infinitely various are the incidents in one man's life

which cannot be reduced to unity'.

Real people have a variety of goals at one time.

But to Aristotle, focusing on one of these goals is crucial to a good story.

In "Rushmore", Max has many goals.

Like making his name known among his wealthier classmates.

"- So you've changed your mind and you want the job?

- No, but I've got an idea and I need some money."

- But one goal overrides all others.

His desire to be with Rosemary.

It's this singular drive which propels the plot.

"- I mean, I thought you dumped me for Bloom, then I...

- I never dumped you because we were never going out."

- Films as different as "Cape Fear" and "Rushmore" illustrate that following

Aristotle's rules for plot results in a streamlined and compelling narrative.

The second most important element to a narrative according

to Aristotle is character.

Some of Aristotle's views on character are a bit dated.

Like stating that female characters shouldn't have valor or cleverness.

But many of his other points have aged much better.

"- I need to know how Skynet gets built.

Who's responsible?

- The man most directly responsible is Miles Bennett Dyson."

- Aristotle argues that a character must be good.

But this doesn't mean the character is constantly in the right.

"- I want to know everything.

What he looks like, where he lives.

Everything."

- It means that their purpose must be good.

We may not approve a few of their actions.

But we approve of their overall goal.

"- It's all your fault! It's all your f*cking fault!"

- "Dirty Harry", for example,

isn't necessarily always in the right, repeatedly circumventing the law.

And yet, the audience is rooting for him because it understands his goal.

"- Drop the gun, freak!"

- To catch a serial killer.

Aristotle also claims that a character should be consistent.

The audience should be able to understand why a character is doing

what they're doing from scene to scene.

"- What's your proposal?

- It's simple. We, uh, kill the Batman."

- The philosopher notes that this doesn't mean a character has to be predictable.

"- You wanna know how I got these scars?

He comes at me with the knife."

- A character can be unruly and erratic.

But Aristotle writes...

'Still, he must be consistently inconsistent.'

"- Is it the scars?

You wanna know how I got them?

I stick a razor in my mouth and do this to myself."

- This consistency, Aristotle argues, should be present in characterization.

He writes, 'A person of a given character should speak or act in a given way

by the rule either of necessity or a probability'.

"- Alrighty then."

- In other words, a character's dialogue and actions should feel

natural to their personhood.

"- I won't bite. Hard."

- "Doctor Strangelove" depends on distinct characterization.

Since it follows an ensemble cast of characters, many of whom

are played by the same actor.

Each character has a unique personality which remains

consistent throughout the film.

Mandrake is a nervous and overly polite Brit.

"- I, um, can't quite see what you're getting at, Jack."

- President Muffley is meek and averse to conflict.

"- Is this, is this gonna, is this gonna set off the doomsday machine?"

- Turgidson is a hot-headed general, hell-bent on war.

"- But today, war is too important to be left to politicians."

- The poetics next narrative element is Thought.

"- Yeah, yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether

or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should."

- Of course, devising a plot and compelling characters requires thought.

But for Aristotle, thought also is a separate entity.

By thought, he means that a story should make the audience think

about the larger ideas at hand.

According to the philosopher, thought is required wherever a statement is proved.

Or it may be a general truth enunciated.

"- It is literally impossible to be a woman."

- Thought, therefore, can be seen as the elements of a narrative which

impart a lesson onto an audience.

Today, we may refer to the thought element as Themes.

Larger ideas that a story is commenting on.

Paul Verhoeven's "Starship Troopers" uses thought as defined by Aristotle

to comment on the perils of the military-industrial complex.

"- What about you, son? - Infantry, sir.

- Good for you. Mobile Infantry made me the man I am today."

- Verhoeven uses satire to critique nationalism and pointless violence.

Without the presence of these themes, "Starship Troopers" would

be a run-of-the-mill action film.

Thought elevates a movie, giving it a larger purpose beyond pure entertainment.

"- I'm doing my part.

- I'm doing my part.

- I'm doing my part.

- I'm doing my part, too.

- They're doing their part. Are you?

Join the mobile infantry and save the world.

Service guarantees citizenship."

- The next narrative element from the poetics is Diction.

"- The sacred Jedi texts.

- Oh, read them, have you?

Well, page-turners, they were not."

- For Aristotle.

Diction is a crucial element in a story's effectiveness.

Diction refers to word choice, grammatical decisions, and sentence structure.

"- Oh, you think darkness is your ally.

You merely adopted the dark.

I was born in it."

- With diction, Aristotle emphasizes clarity.

"- I don't mean to sound critical, Dean Walker, I just want to be clear."

- While he acknowledges the occasional utility of well-placed figurative

language and complex verbiage.

He argues that over-reliance on these elements can hurt a story

writing, 'Character and thought are merely obscured by addiction

that is over brilliant'.

"- This is a snakeskin jacket.

And for me it's a symbol of my individuality.

And my belief in personal freedom."

- This approach to diction is fundamental to screenwriting.

"- Good sounds abound when the mouth is round."

- Action lines in the script should be as clear and to the point as possible.

In the script for "Deja Vu", writers Bill Marsili and Terry Rossio

write with maximum economy.

Their introduction for Doug is brief.

Special Agent Doug Carlin standing amid the chaos, mid-thirties, a cold intelligence.

Doug's eyes miss nothing.

In just two sentences, a reader knows all we need to know about Doug.

He's smart and perceptive.

But his life also lacks passion.

Aristotle notes the flowery diction can be useful in order to slow down pacing.

He writes, 'The diction should be elaborated in the pauses of the action'.

This can help a story breathe, avoiding burning out an audience.

This too is helpful in screenwriting.

By using more detailed diction, a screenwriter can signal to a

director that a moment is important and should take up more time.

This technique is often employed in horror scripts, which need to slow down

certain sequences to increase suspense.

In "The Ring", writer Ehren Kruger uses elaborate description and line breaks to build

the terror of a climatic scene.

As modern screenwriting shows us, Aristotle's

approach to diction is still alive and well.

The final two elements of the poetics are Spectacle and Song.

Both spectacle and song hold a similar purpose in the eyes of Aristotle.

They serve as 'Embellishments'.

Ways to heighten the emotion and drama already present in a text.

Spectacle refers to the visual aesthetics of a story like

costume or special effects.

And song refers to a story's musical accompaniment.

Aristotle cautioned against an over-reliance on spectacle and song.

He writes, 'The spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own.

But, of all the parts, it is the least artistic'.

According to the philosopher, these two elements should be

secondary to the primary elements of plot, character, and thought.

Aristotle argued that a good plot on its own should have an

emotional effect on the audience.

"- Hey, Baba."

- If they were simply told the narrative, they should already be gripped.

In this context, spectacle and song serve as the cherry on top.

According to Aristotle, producing emotional responses by the mere

spectacle is a less artistic method.

and dependent on extraneous aides.

For filmmakers, this doesn't mean that a movie can't have breathtaking spectacles.

With "Everything Everywhere All at Once", the Daniels pack eye-popping visuals

and effects into nearly every scene.

But the emotional impact of the story comes from the

mother-daughter relationship.

Which doesn't depend on spectacle.

"- I don't want to hurt anymore,

and for some reason, when I'm with you, it just...

It just hurts the both of us.

- No matter what, I still want to be here with you."

- Song, too, can play an enormous role in a film without overpowering its plot.

Jean Luc Godard's "Contempt" depicts the ennui and alienation

brought on by modernity.

This forlorn feeling is conveyed subtly through the script and performances.

But these emotions are heightened exponentially by the repeating

melancholic score by Georges Diderot.

The music highlights the destructive cycle the characters are caught in.

Aristotle's Poetics is a seminal text for any storyteller.

If you can master the elements of plot, character, thought, diction,

spectacle, and song, you are well on your way to creating a great story.

"- You've got to ask yourself one question.

Do I feel lucky?

Well, do you, punk?"

- Speaking of creating a story...

Start writing your next screenplay with StudioBinder's screenwriting software.

Until next time, keep reading the classics.