ARISTOTLE POETICS
This task is assigned by the head of the department of English Mkbu professor and dr.dilip barad sir.here is the link to the professor's blog for background reading.Click here
"Be a free thinker and don't accept everything you hear as truth.be critical and evaluate what you believe in.". -Aristotle
To what extent do you agree with Plato's objection to the freedom of expression and artistic liberty enjoyed by creative writers? Identify texts (novels, plays, poems, movies, TV soaps, etc.) that can be justifiably objected to and banned based on Plato's objections.
Answer:
Plato vs. Creative Freedom: Should Art Be Controlled?
Art is a mirror of society—but what if the mirror distorts reality? Plato, one of the greatest philosophers of Ancient Greece, believed that it often does. He argued that the creative freedom enjoyed by poets, playwrights, and artists should be limited. In today's world of novels, movies, and TV shows, his concerns are more relevant than ever.
But was he right? Should some forms of art be censored? Or do creative writers deserve complete freedom of expression?
Plato’s Objection: Why He Distrusted Art
- Artists present illusions, not truth.
- Art stirs emotions, especially dangerous ones like anger, lust, or sorrow.
- It misguides society, especially the young and uneducated.
- Poets and playwrights challenge reason, and reason (logos) is central to a just society.
- In his book The Republic, Plato famously banished poets from his ideal state, arguing that they appeal to emotion, not logic, and can
- corrupt moral values.
Movie:
Kabir Singh (2019)
Plot Summary:
Kabir Singh is a brilliant but hot-tempered surgeon who spirals into self-destructive behavior after his girlfriend is married off to someone else. The film portrays his obsession, alcoholism, and emotional outbursts as part of a tragic love story.
Plato's Objections (with Points):
1. Glorification of Uncontrolled Emotion
Plato believed that art should promote rationality and self-control.
Kabir Singh, however, celebrates emotional excess—rage, jealousy, and obsession—as “true love.”
2. Corrupting Influence on Youth
Plato warned that young people are especially vulnerable to imitation.
This film presents an unstable, abusive character as attractive and masculine—potentially misleading viewers into thinking such behavior is normal or romantic.
3. Art That Imitates the Worst, Not the Best.
Plato wanted art to reflect ideal forms and virtues (truth, justice, moderation).
Kabir Singh shows vice—addiction, violence, and arrogance—without clear condemnation, making it dangerous in Plato’s view.
4. Emotional Manipulation
Plato believed that art should train the soul, not manipulate feelings for entertainment.
This film creates sympathy for a deeply flawed character, using background music, tragedy, and slow-motion scenes to justify toxic behavior.
5. No Moral Clarity
According to Plato, good art should have a clear moral message that uplifts society.
Kabir Singh’s ending rewards the hero with love and success, even after his disturbing actions—sending
a confusing message about consequences.
2.Student of the Year (2012)
Plot Summary:
A glamorous film about college students competing for a title, full of fashion, parties, and superficial drama.
Plato’s Objections:
1. Promotion of Vanity and Materialism
– Plato believed art should elevate the soul.
– This movie focuses on clothes, wealth, and popularity — not wisdom or ethics.
2. Unrealistic Role Models
– Young viewers may imitate these shallow characters.
– Plato warned against art that teaches the wrong values.
3. Emotion Over Reason
– Decisions in the film are driven by jealousy, ego, and peer pressure.
– Plato wanted rational.
Question:2
Referring to the literary texts you studied during your B.A. program, write a brief note on the texts that followed the Aristotelian literary tradition (i.e., his concepts of tragedy, catharsis, tragic hero with hamartia, etc.).
Answer:
1. King Lear by William Shakespeare
Tragic Hero: King Lear fits Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero. He is a noble king with a fatal flaw (hamartia) — his pride and poor judgment. He misjudges his daughters and gives away his kingdom to the wrong people.
Hamartia: His arrogance and blindness to true love and loyalty.
Conclusion: Strongly follows the Aristotelian tradition.
2. Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller
Tragic Hero: Willy Loman is a common man, not a noble figure, which breaks from Aristotle’s original model. But Miller argued modern tragedy can involve common men.
Hamartia: Willy’s delusional belief in the American Dream and his obsession with being "well-liked".
Catharsis: The audience feels pity for Willy’s helplessness and fear about societal pressures.
Conclusion: Death of a Salesman is a modern tragedy that revises Aristotle’s tradition but still aims for catharsis.
3. Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
Tragic Hero: Debate exists, but Brutus is often seen as the tragic hero rather than Caesar.
Hamartia: Brutus’s idealism and loyalty to Rome lead him to betray Caesar, thinking it’s for the greater good.
Catharsis: The audience feels pity for Brutus, a good man who made a fatal.
Question:3
Referring to the literary texts you studied during your B.A. program, write a brief note on the texts that did not follow the Aristotelian literary tradition (i.e., his concepts of tragedy, catharsis, tragic hero with hamartia, etc.).
Answer:
1. Animal Farm by George Orwell
Deviation: Instead of focusing on a single tragic hero with a fatal flaw, this novella uses allegory and satire to criticize totalitarian regimes.
No Catharsis: The narrative does not aim for emotional purgation but rather intellectual awakening.
Structure: The plot lacks the Aristotelian unity and revolves around political allegory rather than personal downfall.
2. Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Deviation: The story explores the inherent savagery of human nature, with no central tragic hero.
No Hamartia: Characters like Ralph or Jack are not tragic figures in the Aristotelian sense but symbolic representations of order and chaos.
Catharsis Replaced by Shock: The novel ends in horror and moral reflection, not emotional cleansing.
3. Beloved by Toni Morrison
Deviation: A non-linear narrative, memory-based storytelling, and magical realism replace Aristotelian unity and plot.
Tragic Themes Without Structure: While Sethe's actions may seem tragic, the story does not frame her with a classical hamartia or noble status.
Focus on Trauma, Not Catharsis: The text evokes empathy and discomfort rather than catharsis.
4. The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
Deviation: Fragmented structure, flashbacks, and postmodern elements defy Aristotle’s unity of time, place, and action.
No Tragic Hero: The characters suffer, but their flaws are rooted in social systems rather than personal choices alone.
Political and Emotional Complexity: The novel is more concerned with exposing casteism, patriarchy, and colonial legacies than providing emotional catharsis.
5. Nagamandala by Girish Karnad
Deviation: The play draws from Indian folklore and oral tradition, not Aristotelian dramatic form.
Myth Over Tragedy: The heroine Rani is not a tragic figure but one shaped by myth, gender politics, and fantasy.
Symbolism Over Structure: The play uses symbolic elements like the cobra and magical tales.
Question:4
