Aristotle on the art of poetry

The treatise analyzes poetic art through the concept of imitation, distinguishing poetry from history by its focus on what might be rather than what has happened. It defines tragedy as an imitation of a complete action with beginning, middle, and end, and elevates plot as the chief element, stressing unity, fitting magnitude, and causally linked incidents that evoke pity and fear. It outlines mechanisms such as reversal and recognition, enumerates components including character, thought, diction, melody, and spectacle, and offers rules for epic and comic composition. The surviving material is fragmentary and concentrates mainly on tragic and epic technique.