GED117-Week 3 (2 of 2)

Summary

Professor Wilner Bantai introduces Aristotle's 'Poetics', highlighting key elements of a tragedy such as peripatea (reversal) and anagnorisis (recognition), exemplified by Oedipus's story. He contextualizes 'Poetics' as a historical study of Greek drama, noting its influence on drama development from the Roman Empire to the 19th century. The lecture promises an in-depth look at 'Oedipus Rex' in the next session, emphasizing Aristotle's analytical approach to understanding tragedy.

Takeaways

• 🏛️ Professor Wilner Bantai introduces himself as a member of the Department of Arts and Letters.
• 📚 The script discusses Aristotle's 'Poetics' and its focus on the elements of plot in tragedy, specifically hamartia.
• 🔄 'Peripatea' or reversal is highlighted as a key plot device where events turn out opposite to the protagonist's plans or hopes, exemplified by Oedipus's tragic discovery.
• 👀 'Anagnorisis' or recognition is identified as the moment of truth realization for the protagonist, eliciting strong emotional responses from the audience.
• 🎭 Aristotle wrote 'Poetics' nearly a century after the peak of Greek tragedy, reflecting on a bygone era of Athenian society and culture.
• 🔍 The work is seen as a historical study rather than a description of a living art form, using analytical methods from politics, ethics, and natural sciences.
• 🤔 The approach in 'Poetics' is critiqued for being sometimes artificial or formulaic in its conclusions about literary study.
• 📘 'Poetics' is the only critical study of Greek drama by a near contemporary and provides valuable insights into the religious, methodological, and purposeful aspects of tragedy.
• 🌐 Aristotle's principles have had a profound influence on the development of drama, impacting Roman and Western European tragedy composition in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.
• 📚 The next session will provide an overview of 'Oedipus Rex', continuing the exploration of tragic drama.

Q & A

Who is Professor Wilner Bantai?

Professor Wilner Bantai is the speaker in the video script, a faculty member of the Department of Arts and Letters.

What are the two features of the plot mentioned by Aristotle in 'Poetics' that are crucial to a well-made tragedy?

The two features are reversal (peripatea) and recognition (anagnorisis), which are related to the concept of hamartia.

What is the definition of 'reversal' or 'peripatea' in the context of a tragedy?

Reversal, or peripatea, refers to an unexpected change in the situation where the opposite of what was planned or hoped for by the protagonist takes place.

Can you give an example of 'reversal' from the script?

An example of reversal is when Oedipus's investigation into the murder of Laius leads to a catastrophic and unexpected conclusion.

What is 'recognition' or 'anagnorisis' in the context of a tragedy?

Recognition, or anagnorisis, is the point in a tragedy when the protagonist recognizes the truth of a situation, discovers another character's identity, or comes to a realization about themselves.

How does 'recognition' affect the audience in a tragedy?

Recognition arouses the desired intense emotional reaction in the spectators, as it often involves a sudden acquisition of knowledge or insight by the hero.

What historical context does Aristotle's 'Poetics' provide for the study of tragedy?

Aristotle wrote 'Poetics' nearly a century after the greatest Greek tragedians had died, during a period of radical transformations in Athenian society and culture.

How did Aristotle approach the study of tragedy in 'Poetics'?

Aristotle used the same analytical methods he had applied in studies of politics, ethics, and the natural sciences to determine the fundamental principles of tragedy's composition and content.

What is the significance of 'Poetics' in the history of drama?

'It Poetics' is the only critical study of Greek drama made by a near contemporary and has had an overwhelming influence on the development of drama, influencing the drama of the Roman Empire and the composition of tragedy in Western Europe during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.

What does the script suggest about the nature of tragedy during Aristotle's time compared to the fifth century?

The script suggests that the tragic drama of Aristotle's day was not the same as that of the fifth century, indicating a historical study of a form that existed rather than a description of a living art form.

What is the next topic that Professor Bantai plans to discuss in the video series?

Professor Bantai plans to begin with an overview of 'Oedipus Rex' in the next video.

Outlines

00:00

🎭 Aristotelian Poetics and Tragedy

Professor Wilner Bantai introduces the topic of Aristotle's 'Poetics' and its focus on the two crucial elements of a well-crafted tragedy: peripatea (reversal) and anagnorisis (recognition). The professor explains how these elements evoke intense emotions in the audience, using the example of Oedipus's tragic revelation in 'Oedipus Rex.' The lecture also touches on the historical context of Aristotle's work, noting that it was written nearly a century after the peak of Greek tragedy and reflects a period of significant societal and cultural change. Despite its limitations, 'Poetics' remains a valuable resource for understanding Greek drama and has profoundly influenced the development of drama in Western Europe for centuries.

Keywords

💡Poetics

The term 'Poetics' refers to Aristotle's work, which is a critical study of Greek drama and a foundational text in the field of literary theory. In the video, it is mentioned as the source of Aristotle's ideas on tragedy, including the concepts of hamartia, peripatea, and anagnorisis. The script discusses how 'Poetics' influenced the development of drama in the Roman Empire and Western Europe for centuries.

💡Hamartia

Hamartia is a Greek term used by Aristotle in 'Poetics' to describe a tragic flaw or error in judgment that leads to the downfall of the protagonist. In the video, it is related to the concept of peripatea and anagnorisis, which are crucial for a well-made tragedy. An example from the script is Oedipus's investigation leading to his tragic realization of his own crimes.

💡Peripatea

Peripatea, also known as reversal, is a plot device in which the situation takes a turn opposite to what the protagonist planned or hoped for. The script uses the example of Oedipus's investigation into the murder of Laius, which unexpectedly leads to the discovery of his own role in the tragedy.

💡Anagnorisis

Anagnorisis, or recognition, is a pivotal moment in a tragedy when the protagonist comes to a realization about themselves or the truth of the situation. The script explains that this sudden insight often triggers a strong emotional response from the audience, as illustrated by Oedipus's discovery of his true parentage.

💡Tragedy

Tragedy is a genre of drama that portrays the downfall of the main character, often brought about by a combination of fate and personal flaws. The video discusses Aristotle's analysis of tragedy in 'Poetics,' focusing on its fundamental principles and the emotional impact it aims to achieve.

💡Aristotle

Aristotle was an ancient Greek philosopher whose work 'Poetics' is the subject of the video. He is noted for applying analytical methods from politics, ethics, and natural sciences to determine the principles of tragedy. His ideas have had a lasting impact on the development of drama.

💡Oedipus Rex

Oedipus Rex, also known as Oedipus the King, is a Greek tragedy by Sophocles that serves as a prime example of Aristotle's principles of tragedy. The script mentions the play as the subject of the next video, highlighting its relevance to the discussion of peripatea and anagnorisis.

💡Department of Arts and Letters

The Department of Arts and Letters is the academic department where Professor Wilner Bantai works. It is the context in which the video is presented, indicating the academic and scholarly nature of the discussion on Aristotle's 'Poetics' and Greek tragedy.

💡Athenian Society and Culture

The script mentions that Aristotle wrote 'Poetics' during a period of radical transformations in Athenian society and culture. This historical context is important for understanding the evolution of tragic drama and how it differed from the drama of the fifth century.

💡Roman Empire

The Roman Empire is mentioned in the script as a period during which the ideas and principles of 'Poetics' were reflected in the drama of the time. This shows the far-reaching influence of Aristotle's work on the development of drama beyond ancient Greece.

💡Western Europe

Western Europe is noted in the script as the region where the principles of 'Poetics' dominated the composition of tragedy during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. This highlights the enduring legacy of Aristotle's work in shaping the dramatic arts.

Highlights

Professor Wilner Bantai introduces himself as a member of the Department of Arts and Letters.

Aristotle's 'Poetics' discusses two crucial features of a well-made tragedy: reversal (peripatea) and recognition (anagnorisis).

Reversal is an unexpected turn of events leading to a catastrophic conclusion, exemplified by Oedipus's investigation.

Recognition is the protagonist's realization of a truth, character identity, or self-discovery, eliciting an emotional response from the audience.

Aristotle wrote 'Poetics' a century after the peak of Greek tragedy, reflecting a historical study rather than a living art form.

Aristotle applied analytical methods from politics, ethics, and natural sciences to determine the fundamental principles of tragedy.

The 'Poetics' is a critical study of Greek drama by a near contemporary, offering valuable insights into its religious, methodological, and purposeful aspects.

Aristotle's work influenced the development of drama, with its principles reflected in Roman and Western European tragedies of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.

The 'Poetics' approach may be too artificial or formulaic for literary study, yet it remains influential.

The lecture will provide an overview of 'Oedipus Rex' in the following week.

The 'Poetics' shows how the Greeks themselves reacted to their theater.

Aristotle's analytical methods are not entirely suited for literary studies, sometimes leading to overly formulaic conclusions.

The lecture emphasizes the historical context of 'Poetics' in relation to the changes in Athenian society and culture.

Aristotle's ideas on tragedy have had an overwhelming influence on drama composition throughout history.

The lecture is part of a series exploring the principles and impact of Aristotle's 'Poetics'.

Professor Bantai invites the audience to join the next video for further exploration of 'Oedipus Rex'.

The lecture concludes with a reminder of the professor's department and an invitation to the next session.

Transcripts

[Music]

hi everyone i am professor wilner bantai

of the department of arts and letters

so in the poetics aristotel also

mentions two features of the plot

both of which are related

to the concept of hamarthia

as crucial components of

any well-made tragedy

these are

reversal

which is called peripatea

where the opposite of what was planned

or hoped for by the protagonist takes

place

as when edipus's investigation of the

murder of layus leads to a catastrophic

and

unexpected conclusion

and recognition

also called anagnorisis

the point when the protagonist

recognizes the truth of a situation

discovers another character's identity

or

comes to a realization about himself

this

sudden acquisition of knowledge or

insight by the hero arouses

the desired intense

emotional reaction in the spectators

as when edibles finds out his true

parentage and realizes what crimes he

has been responsible for

aristotle wrote the poetics nearly a

century

after the greatest greek

vagididians had already died

in a period

when there had been

radical transformations in nearly all

aspects of athenian society and culture

the tragic drama of his day was not the

same as that of the fifth century

and to a certain extent

his work must be construed

as a historical study of a john

that knowledge existed

rather than as a description of a living

art form

in the poetics

aristotel

used the same analytical methods that he

had successfully applied

in studies of politics

ethics

and the natural sciences in order to

determine

tragedy's

fundamental principles of course

composition and content

this approach is not completely suited

to a literary study

and it's sometimes too artificial or

formula prone in its conclusions

nonetheless

[Music]

the poetics is the only

critical study of greek drama

to have been made by a near contemporary

it contains much

valuable information about religions

methods

and purposes of tragedy

and

to a degree shows us how the greeks

themselves reacted to their theater

in addition

aristotle's work had an overwhelming

influence on the development of drama

long after it was compiled

the ideas and principles

of the poetics

are reflected in the drama of the roman

empire

and dominated the composition of tragedy

in western europe

during the 17th

18th

and 19th centuries

next week we will begin with an overview

of oedipus rex

again i am professor wilnabantai of the

department of arts and letters thank you

for listening see you in our next video

[Music]

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