Plot: Importance, Elements, and Construction: Aristotle

"Father of Western Philosophy", "Father of different field of modern subjects” and most acceptable critic even in the 21st century, Greek Philosopher Aristotle was born in 384-322 B.C in Greece. He was also the founder of the Lyceum and the Peripatetic school of philosophy and Aristotelian tradition. No doubt, Aristotle is a towering figure and who made important contributions to logic, mathematics, literature, metaphysics, politics, biology, physics, ethics, medicine, architecture, botany, dance, and theatre.

Aristotle is famous for his sayings as well.

"The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet."

 This Greek Philosopher was in favor of teaching. Once added,

"The one exclusive sign of thorough knowledge is the power of teaching."

This is a brief but comprehensive exposition of Aristotle. As we are not concerned with his general life but we will focus his literary works.

The main focus of my essay will be the definition of Tragedy, Aristotle's view regarding its elements specifically plot, its importance, construction, and elements with a brief overview of art in general.

Aristotle's view of art

Aristotle is believed to be the disobedient pupil of his teacher Plato. It does not imply that he was impertinent and rude but ideologically and philosophically disagreed with him. Both were seeing art through different lenses. The teacher was in favor of didactic and rejected aesthetic pleasure in literature while his pupil believed that art must contain aesthetic pleasure. The former was idealistic and had a deductive approach and the latter was a realistic having inductive approach.

Definition of Tragedy and its elements

A tragedy, then, is the imitation of an action that is serious, has magnitude,  and is complete in itself; in language with pleasurable accessories, each kind brought in separately in the various parts of the work; in a dramatic, not in a narrative form; with incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish its catharsis of such emotions.

There are six elements of a tragedy

(1) Plot (2) Character (3) thought (4) diction (5) melody and (6) spectacle

Let's come to the plot which is our target of explanation.

Plot Definition and its importance

In simple words, the plot is the combination of the incidents or things done in the story. According to Aristotle plot is the soul of the tragedy. Aristotle argues that, among the six formative elements, the plot is the most important element. The plot is the underlying principle of tragedy'. By plot, Aristotle means the arrangement of incidents. Incidents mean action, and tragedy is an imitation of actions, both internal and external.

Elements of plot

There are two types of elements in a plot according to Aristotle.

1) Formative Elements

The most powerful elements of attraction in Tragedy, the Peripeties, Discoveries, and Sufferings.

2) Qualitative Elements

A Tragedy has the following qualitative elements,

Prologue, Episode, Exode, Choral Portion, Parode, and Stasimon.

The Prologue is all that precedes the Parode of the chorus; an Episode all that comes in between two whole choral songs; the Exode all that follows after the last choral song. In the Choral portion the Parode is the whole of the first utterance of the chorus; a stasimon, a song of the chorus without anapests; a comos, a lamentation sung by chorus and actor in concert.

Construction of plot

According to Aristotle, a plot must have a beginning, middle, and end. Three unities are important (Unity of time, action and place). There are two types of plots in construction.

1) Simple Plot

The simple plot is defined as a unified construct of necessary and probable actions accompanied by a change of fortune.

Change of fortune is a crucial aspect of this type of a plot — particularly the word change.

This type of simple plot introduces a character (or group of characters) and changes their fortune by introducing an action in the form of conflict or turn of events.

2) Complex Plot

The complex plot is defined as one where the change of fortune is accompanied by a reversal of fortune, recognition, or both.

What this means is that the complex plot shares what the simple plot contains, but adds additional elements to make it more complex.

The reversal of fortune is referred to in Poetics as Peripeteia — a pivotal or crucial action on the part of the protagonist that changes their situation from secure to vulnerable.

The recognition is referred to as Anagnorisis — a moment of insight or understanding the protagonist experiences as they finally comprehend the web of fate that they are entangled within.

In Tragedy, the Plot must not be simple but complex, and further that it must imitate actions arousing pity and fear.

Three kinds of Plots must be avoided

1) A good man must not be seen passing from happiness to misery.

2) A bad man from misery to happiness.

3) An extremely bad man be seen falling from happiness into misery.

Conclusion

When Aristotle says that a tragedy can be possible without character, but not without plot, it is to be noted that he is not saying that a tragedy without character is the ideal type.

It is very unfortunate that Aristotle consciously or unconsciously missed an important part of tragedy namely conflict. And to be tragic, the conflict must be both inside and outside man.