"Survival had to start with me. In my experience, a castaways worst mistake is to hope too much and do too little."
-yann Martel
Yann Martel was born in 25 June, 1963. He is a Canadian author best known for the man booker prize winning novel life of pi. It has sold more than 12 million copies worldwide and spent more than a year on the bestseller list of globe and mail, among many other best selling lists.
About movie
Life of pi is a 2012 adventure drama film directed and produced by Ang Lee and written by devid Magee. Based on the same name, it stars suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan, Rafe spall, Tabu and adil Hussain in lead roles.
The storyline revolves around two survivors of a shipwreck. One is a sixteen years old indian boy named pi Patel and the other is a ferocious bengal tiger named Richard Parker that are on a lifeboat stranded in the Pacific Ocean for 227 days.
Life of pi more than survival:-
Reading life of pi, I came to a surprising realisation: survival stories can be way more than just a pursuit to stay alive.
The beginning of life of pi is centred around and Indian Tamil boy named piscine (pi) patel finding his way through his childhood. Pi grows up in his family's zoo in the city of pondicherry, which immediately plunges him into zoology and understanding the nature of animals. Pi's father is a zookeeper, and pi and his brother Ravi are raised among exotic wild animals.
Pi's tale frequently digresses to explain about zookiping, animal territories , and boundaries. His father warms him of the danger of wild animals by making pi watch a tiger eat a goat, but pi also learns that "the most dangerous animal at zoo is man."
Pi is raised culturally Hindu, but his family is generally unreligious. As a youth pi becomes devoutly hindu and then converts to Christianity and Islam. He practices all three religions at once, despite the protests of his parents and the religious leaders.
The Emergency brings political turmoil to India and pi's parents decided to sell the zoo and move the family to Canada . They board a Japanese cargo ship called the tsimtsum, traveling with many of the zoo animals.
There is an explosion one night and the tsimtsum starts sinking. Pi is a awake at the time, and some sailors throw him into a lifeboat. The ship sinks, leaving no human survivors except for pi. Pi sees a tiger , Richard Parker and encourages him to climb abourd. Pi eventually finds himself on the lifeboat with a zebra, a hyena, and orange juice the orgngutan.The Hyena kills the zebra and kills orange juice. Pi notices that Richard Parker is still in the boat, hiding under a tarpaulin. Richard Parker kills the Hyena , leaving pi alone with the tiger.
Pi marks a raft for himself and finds supplies in the lifeboat , and he sets about marking his territory and taming richard Parker using a whistle.Pi loses track of time as months pass. He remembers episodes like seeing a whale, experiencing a lighting storm, and watching a ship pass by pi goes temporarily blind and hears a voice talking to him.
At first he thinking it is Parker, but then he realises it is another castaways who is also blind. The two discuss food and then bring their boats together. The castaways attacks pi, intending to kills the castaways.Later the boat comes to a mysterious island made entirely of algae and inhabited by thousands of meerkats. Pi and Richard Parker stay there for a while and recover their health.
One day pi finds a tree with human teeth as its fruit, and he realises that the isaland is carnivorous.pi decides to leave with Richard Parker. Finally the lifeboat washes up on a beath in Mexico. Richard Parker disappears into the jungle without looking back, and pi is rescued by some villagers.The last section is a transcript of an interview between pi and two japanese officials who are trying to figure out why the tsimtsum sank. Pi tells them his story, but they don't believe him.He then tells them a second story, replacing the animals with humans in version pi is on the lifeboat with a French cook, a Chinese sailor, and his own mother.
The sailor dies and the cook eats. His flesh. The cook later kills pi's mother, and then pi kills the cook, the official are horrified , but they believe this story.They note that the Hyena is the cook, the zebra is the sailor, orange juice is pi's mother, and Richard Parker is pi himself.
Pi asks the official which story they prefer, and they say the one with animals in their final report they commend pi for surviving at sea with tiger.
The last section is a transcript of an interview between pi and two japanese officials who are trying to figure out why the trimtsum sank. Pi tells them his story, but they don't believe him.
Key fect about life of pi :-
Full title:- Life of Pi
Where written:- Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
When published:- 2001
Literary period:- contemporary fiction
Genre fiction:- fiction, magical realism
Setting:- pondicherry, india , the Pacific Ocean, Mexico and Toronto, caneda
Climax:- pi finds land
Antagonist:- The Hyena/ French Cook
Point of view:- first person limited from both the author and the adult pi.
Moral message of the story :-
The moral message of life of pi is that never give up. Always ready for fight with new problems and give your best untill the become successful. And we also need to treat our animals friends better.
Hello Readers! This blog is a part of thinking Activity. In this blog I am going to present about major writer Ben Johnson as writer of Elizabethan Age.
The Elizabethen Age:-
"The great ages did not perhaps produce much more talent than ours, but less talent was wasted." - Jonah lehrer
The Elizabeth age is the time period associated with the region of Queen Elizabeth-I during 1558-1603. It is often considered to be a golden age in English history. It was an age of considered to be the height of the English Renaissance, and saw the full floring of English literature and English poetry.
In Elizabeth theater, William Shakespeare among others, composed and staged plays in a variety of settings that broke away from England's past style of plays. The Elizabethen Age is viewed so highly becouse of the contract with the period before and after. It was a brief period of largely internal peace between the English.
Elizabethen Age was remarkable for its,
- Rigious tolerances
- strong
- national spirit
- patriotism
- social content
- Intellectual progress
- unbounded enthusiasm
Incredible thoughts, feeling and vigorous actions were the piller of this age. It flowers extraordinary development of drama.
Society and religions spread :-
Elizabethan England had four main classes: the Nobility, the Gentry, the Yeomanry, and the Poor. A person's class determined how they could dress, where they could live, and the kinds of jobs people and their children could get.
A nobleman was rich and powerful and therefore during the reign of Elizabeth as well as the reigns of her father and grandfather Henry VIII and Henry VII, the monarch rarely appointed new nobles. They viewed the noble class as a threat to their power and liked to keep their numbers small. A person could become a noble either by birthright or by grant from the king or queen. Nobility could lose their fortune, but it took a high crime like treason to lose their title.
The gentry were knights, squires, gentlemen and gentlewomenwhose fortunes were great enough that they did not have to work with their hands for a living. Their numbers grew rapidly, and became the most important class during Elizabethan time. They could start as a knight and through generations and marriages they could gradually build a wealth and title. Most of the important people of this time came from this class.
The Yeomanry were the ‘middleclass'. They could live comfortably with the little savings they built up, but at any moment, be it illness or famine, could lose everything. While the gentry spent their wealth building large homes, the yeomen used their wealth more simply and instead worked to expand their land and improve it.
At the bottom were the Poor who for some reason or another found themselves without money, food, or shelter. Because their numbers were increasing, the Poor Laws were passed to assist them. Any Poor person found guilty of being able to do an honest day's work but who chose not to, could be sentenced to death.
Elizabethen literature refers to bodies work produced during the reign of Queen Elizabeth-I and is one of the most splendid ages of English literature. In addition to drama and the theatre, it saw A flowering of poetry, with new forms like the ,
- Sonnet
- spenserian stanza and
- blank Verse
As well as prose , including historical, chronicles, pamphlets, and the first English novels. Major writers include
- William Shakespeare
- Edmund Spenser
- Christopher Marlowe
- Richard hooker
- Ben jonson
- Philip Sidney
- Thomas kyd
- Francis bacon
- John Webster and many others.
Now we discuss in brief about writer Ben jonson
Q.1 write in brief about Chaucer or Edmund Spenser or Ben jonson or Francis bacon or on any of their works.
Ben Johnson :-
'There was never a great genious without a touch of madness.'
- Ben jonson
His early life :-
Ben jonson , byname of Benjamin jonson, he was born in England 1572 and died in 1637 in London.The English playwright and poet Ben Jonson (1572-1637) is best known for his satiric comedies. An immensely learned man with an irascible and domineering personality, he was, next to Shakespeare, the greatest dramatic genius of the English Renaissance.
Notable works:-
Jonson wrote his first great play, Every man in his humor in 1598. His another famous works are like that,
- Volpone (1605)
- The Alchemist (1610)
- Bartholomew fair (1614)
- Every man in his humour (1598)
- The silent woman ( 1609 )
Works of poetry:-
- A celebration of Charis: I. His Excuse for loving
- A celebration of Charis: Iv. Her Triumph
- Epithph on Elizabeth, l.H.
Early career:-
Jonson began his theatrical career as a strolling player in the provinces. By 1597 he was in London, the center of dramatic activity, and had begun writing plays for the theatrical manager Philip Henslowe. In what is probably his first piece of dramatic writing. The Isle of Dogs, Jonson ran afoul of the law. The play (which has not survived) was judged to be a "lewd" work containing "seditious and slanderous matter," and Jonson was imprisoned. In 1598 he was in more serious trouble. Having killed a fellow actor in a duel, he escaped hanging only by claiming right of clergy—that is, by reciting a few words of Latin commonly known as "neck-verse."
Now we discuss his famous work The Alchemist.
The Alchemist (1610):-
About play :-
The Alchemist is a comedy play written by Ben jonson. It is devided into five act. First performed in 1610 by the king's men , it is generally considered jonson's best and most characteristic comedy. Samuel Coleridge believed that it had one of the three most perfect plots in literature. The play's clever fulfilment of the classical unities and vivid depiction of human folly have made it one of the few Renaissance plays with a counting life on stage, apart from a period of neglect during the Victorian Era.
Publication history:-
Quarto of the play appeared in 1612 published by Walter burre, printed by Thomas snodham and sold by John stepneth.
The Alchemist characters:-
1. Face / Jeremy the Butler
Subtle and doll's criminal associated and lovewist's butler.
2. Subtle
A conman and face and doll's criminal associate.
3. Doll common
Face and subtles criminal associate.
4. Sir Epicure mammon
Surely's friend and one of the face and subtles's
5. Dapper
Dapper is a law clerk.
6. Ananias 7. The Spaniard 8. Kestrel ...
Subtle, face and doll common are a trio of low life grifters, it's their story that we are most concerned with in this play and truth be told, we are sort to rooting for them.
Meaning of Alchemist :-
Someone who transforms things for the better.
Summary of The Alchemist:-
When the play opens there is an argument between Face and subtle that continues throughout the play. The argument is based on who is of chief importance for the business they run, each talking about his supremacy. Don come in between and resolves their conflict and compel both to shake their hands. Meanwhile, there is knock on the door the first gull of the day, a legal clerk, enters. Subtle takes the role of the “Doctor” while Face plays the role of “Captain Face”
Dapper, a legal clerk, desires for a spirit that can help him win the game at gambling. Subtle tells him that he is connected to the queen of fairies and promises him to get one for him. He asks Dapper to come back after washing himself and bring a clean shirt with him. As soon as Dapper left, another client, known as Drugger, enters. He is a tobacconist who comes to know how he should place his shop. Subtle asks him to return back with tobacco and a damask. The argument between Face and Subtle resume, however, Dol interferences and warns them about the visit of Sir Epicure Mammon.
Subtle has promised Sir Epicure Mammon that he will make him a Philosopher’s stone for which Mammon is extremely happy and is fantasizing about it. Now, Sir Mammon and Sir Pertinax, his cynical assistance are standing next to the door. Face now plays the role of “Lungs”, a doctor’s laboratory assistance while the two conmen astonish Mammon and irritate Surly with their twisted scientific language. Face told Surly that he will meet him at temple church at half an hour, meanwhile, Dol enters that provokes Sir Mammon and he starts pleading Face to arrange a meeting with Dol.
Another client Ananias, an Anabaptist, comes and meets with Subtle with anger. He wants Subtle to give him the Philosopher’s stone so that he can earn much money to convert people to his religion. He returns with Tribulation, his priest. As he leaves, another client Kastril is brought by Drugger. Kastril comes to know how to fight and to case the joint in order to see if this man is suitable for his rich, widowed sister, Dame Pliant, or not. Kastril is immediately impressed by Face.
Subtle and Face robbed Dapper by engaging him in a fairy rite. When Mammon comes he is engaged by Dol in the outhouse while Face pretending that Subtle is unaware of Mammon’s attraction towards Dol.
Another entry happens when a widow comes. Face meets a Spanish Don, who is in fact Surly in disguise. Face and Subtle are now having a conversation that who is going to marry the widow and mocks the Spaniard by speaking loudly that they will deceive him. As Dol is busy with Mammon, they trick the Spaniard and made him agree to marry the widow.
Dol, in the meantime, has gone extra comfortable with Mammon. They are caught by a furious “father” (Subtle). He tells them, as they were involved with illegal actions, all the furnace and Alchemist apparatus has been destroyed by an explosion. Mammon immediately pushed himself at the door, having entirely destroyed by the loss of his investment.
Everything is getting out of control and all the clients are gathered at the door without warning. Later, all the clients are present in the room, including Surly while Face manages himself to get out of the spot. However, Dol informed them that Lovewit has just reached, Face changes his masks once again and become “Jeremy the Butler”.
When love reaches his home, he is surrounded by the neighbors and the clients on the door. Face is forced to admit everything by the Dapper when his voice emerges from t0he privy that nothing happens at it is shown to us. Face puts every blame on the Dol and subtle, however, they manage to escape penniless from the back wall and the clients come back with police and a search warrant. The clients search every corner of the house but can’t find anything for themselves and are forced to leave with nothing. Kastril, Lovewit and his new wife leave the stage. Face is rewarded financially and delivers an epilogue.
Themes:-
1. Deception and Gulibility
2. Religion
3. Sex and greed and
4. Alchemy and transforming
The title is significant because everyone has it in them to change their lives, to pursue their dreams and achieve their goals. In that sense, each and every one of us, according to the governing idea behind the story, is an alchemist.
Justify the title The Alchemist :-
The novel is called The Alchemist because Santiago learns how to turn the base or basic elements of his nature into something precious. He discovers his personal legend and is able to follow the signs of God. Like him, we can all become alchemists and turn our lives into precious gifts.
Here is a video in hindi language of the story of The Alchemist:-
Three main goal of The Alchemist were
- To find the stone of knowledge ( the philosopher's stone)
- To discover the medium of eternal youth and health, and
- To discover the transmutation of mentals .
Thus, we can say that, The Alchemist is an entertaining and hilarious comedy. According to Ben Jonson, the aim of his comedy was to “sport with human follies, not with crimes.” He tried to expose human follies to laughter with a purpose to rid people of these follies.
Points to ponder in Neo-classical age of literature.
Neo classical Age (1700-1798)
Preface:-
"Look around our world; behold the chain of love combining all below and all above." - Alexander pope
The period we are studying is known to us by various names. The period is called Neo classical becouse it's writers looked back to the ideals and art forms of classical times, emphasizing even more than their Renaissance predecessors the classical ideals of order the classical ideals of order and rational control.
Meaning of Neo classical Age:-
Neo classical Age is divided into three periods:-
1. The Restoration Age (1660-1700)
2. The Augusten Age (1700-1750)
3. The Age of Johnson/ The Age of Transition (1750-1798)
Neo classical Age is known as :
- The Augusten period
- The 18th century
- The Age of Enlightenment
- The Age of prose
- The Age of Reason
- The Transition period
- Age of satire
Some writers modelled their writing on classical especially, Greek and Roman literature. The general laws generation man and the world that are true source of knowledge that is 'Narure'.
The Term Augustan Age comes from the self conscious imitation of original Augusten writers Virgil , Horace the Iliad, the Odyssey. The Enlightenment is project to make the world more of a home for human beings.through the use of reason.
"Enlightenment is man's release from his self-incurred tutelage." - Immanuel Kant
The Age of prose and reason is our excellent and indispensable of 18th century. Ckasscists consider literature as a tool to teach and reform the society rather than to delight.satire is a literary technique in which behaviours or institutions are ridiculed for the purpose of improving society. In England this golden age of satire included Alexander pope and Jonathan Swift. The second half of the eighteenth century is known as a traditional period. It was an era of change from pseudo- classicism to romanticism.
Now I'm give my understanding about thinking activities's questions and answers.
Q.1 write in brief about your favourite major writer or poet of the Age.
Ans. Some of the most famous Neo classical writers or poets who included ,
John Dryden
Alexander pope
Jonathan Swift
Daniel Defoe
Samual Johnson
Samual Richardson and many others.
Samuel Richardson ( 1689-1761):-
"When words are restrained, the eyes often talk a great deal."
- samuel Richardson
All the weakness of the earlier fiction writer disappeared in the works of samual Richardson and that is why samual Richardson,
A keen observer,
A tale- taller,
A moralist, and
A student of female heart
Is considered as one of the founding fathers of the novel. His treatment of the characters is very powerful. His insight and involvement as an author provide unity and integration to his fiction. Richardson was a great favourite with ladies. He use to compose love letters "for a band of young woman of taste and reading." He could understand the feminine heart much better than any other writers of his time. He is known for his three novels:
1.Pamela: Virtue Rewarded (1740)
2.Clarissa: The history of a young lady (1747-1748)
3.Sir Charles grandison (1753-1754)
All three novels are written in the form of letters.
Richardson's books brought new elements to the novel. Each of his novels has a fully United plot rather than disconnected episodes. The characters maintain a consistent point of view, without interference by the author , all these novels have the theme of courtship leading to marriage as a basic plot of the novel.
Pamela:-
Pamela was a published anonymously. Pamela inspired several Wity parodies by writers of his time. Richardson's reflect the woman of the middle class and their problems. Thus, he was e of the founders of the modern novel. His Pamela, written in the form of a series of letters, contains much dramatic conversation. This novel focuses on Pamela's characters the modest serving maid, her master who focuses on Pamela's characters, the modest serving maid, her master who tries to seduce her, and their relationship. Pamela prevents his advances and defends her virtue.
At last her master is ultimately in his pursuit and altimately he offers her marriage, the marriage proposal is accepted and thus Pamela's is accepted and thus Pamela's virtue is rewarded.
Richardson's next novel Clarissa:- the history of a young lady has been considered as his masterpiece. It suggests the Phychological realism and shows the deep secret of consciousness the working of consciousness, the working of passion, the struggle of passion, the struggle of interest.
The novel is written in eight volumes and was published in 1748, it is written in "Epistolary form." Thus , the novels in 18th century gained significant strength in the hands of Richardson. In the hands of Richardson the novel of sentimentalism was established in the 18th century.
Alexander pope:-
"Charms strike the sight, but merit wins the soul." -Alexander pope
Alexander pope was an English poet, translator, and satirist of the Enlightenment era who is crominent English poets of the early 18th century. Alexander pope was born in London on 21 may, 1688. Pope's most philosophical work, an Essay on a man, appeared during 1733-34.
Alexander pope was best known as poet for his poems like ,
An Essay on Criticism (1711), The Rape of the Lock (1712–14), The Dunciad (1728), and An Essay on Man (1733–34).
The Rape of the lock :-
Pope's most famous poem is The Rape of the Lock, first published in 1712, with a revised version in 1714. A mock-epic, it satirises a high-society quarrel between Arabella Fermor (the "Belinda" of the poem) and Lord Petre, who had snipped a lock of hair from her head without permission. The satirical style is tempered, however, by a genuine, almost voyeuristic interest in the "beau-monde" (fashionable world) of 18th-century society.The revised, extended version of the poem focuses more clearly on its true subject – the onset of acquisitive individualism and a society of conspicuous consumers. In the poem, purchased artefacts displace human agency and "trivial things" come to dominate.
Q.2 portrayal of the human in Neo classical novels.
Ans. The Neo classical Age was based upon logic and reason . People tend to follow their rules, rituals and traditions with a major significance. It was the age where people believed in practical approach of life science and industrialisation led to people having less belief in supernatural and universal affairs. During this period many various parties and clubs arise like,
- Kit kat club
- The scriblerus club
- The blue stokings society
- Dr. Johnson's circle
- Licensing Act 1737
- Agriculture revolution
- Periodicals
The society at that time also having some serious influenced by the practical approach towards life and avoiding natural beauty and laking the real human nature. These drawbacks were portrayed in the novels written by Neo classical writers mostly in a satirical manner.
Here are some characteristics acquired by the characters of Neo classical novels:
1. Financial background
The society portrayed in the Neo classical Age were economically thriving and that was the reason that some people were judged on the basis of their financial capacity and property. A man who is financially more secure was given more importance to others.
2. Discovering more Nations
As people were getting economically stronger, they started traveling and discovering other nations. They started races and religions and some of the literary examples where this concept is expressed are Robinson Crusoe and Gulliver's travel.
3. The rules and regulation
Although people were prospering in every expects they also had a strict set of rules and regulations which were proving to the disadvantageous for themselves.
For example , women had to get married in a certain way in society despite of getting treated in good manners. Patriarchal hierarchy was still followed and all the silly toboos which were considered by people were showen in the Neo classical novels in the mocking manner by satirising the situation. Alexander pope's the rape of the lock and she stoops to conquer by Oliver goldsmith can be taken as examples of this category.
Q.3 moll Flanders as picaresque novel.
Moll Flanders picaresque novel by Dania Defoe. It's published in 1722. The novel recounts the adventures of a lusty and strong-willed women who is compelled , from earliest childhood, to make her own way in 17th century.
Definition of picaresque novels:-
The picaresque novel is a genre of prose fiction. It depicts the adventures of a roguish, but appearing hero, usually of low social class, who lives by his wits in corrupt society. Picaresque novels typically adopted a realistic style. There are often some elements of comedy and satire.
About writer:-
Deniel Defoe:-
Deniel Defoe was an English writer, trader, journalist, pamphleteer and spy. He is most famous for his novel Robinson Crusoe, published in 1719, which is claimed to be second only to the Bible it's number of transactions.
Now , we discuss about a novel Mall Flanders written by Daniel Defoe.
Moll Flanders:-
Summary:-
The full title of moll Flanders gives an apt summary of the plot:- The fortune and misfortunes of the famous moll Flanders, etc. Who was born in Newgate, and during a life of continued variety for threescore years, besides her childhood, was twelve year whore, five times a wife (where of once to her own brother), twelve year a thief eight year a transported. Felon in Virginia, at last grew rich , lived honest and died a penitent , written from her own memorandums.
Moll Flanders is born to a mother who has been convinced of a felony and who is transported to America soon after her birth. As an infant, moll lives on public charity , under the care of a kind widow who teaches her manners and needlework. She grows into a beautiful teenager and is seduced at an early age. Abandoned by her first lover, she is compelled to marry his younger brothers. He dies after a few years and she marries a draper who soon flees the country as a fugitive from the law.
She marries yet again and moves to America, only to find out that her husband is actually, her half-brother. She leaves him in disgust and returns to England. Where she becomes the mistress of a man whose wife has gone insane. He renounces his affair with moll after a religious experience.
Moll's next marriage offer is from a banker whose wife has been cheating on him. Moll agrees to marry him if he can obtain a divorce , and meanwhile she travels to the country and marries a rich gentleman in Lancashire.
This man turns out to be a fraud. He is as poor as she is and they part ways to seek their fortunes separately. Moll returns to marry the banker, who by this time has succeeded in divorcing his wife. He died soon after , however and moll is thrown back apon her own resources once again. She lives in poverty for several years and then begins stealing.
She is quite telented at this new trade and soon becomes an expert thief and a local legend. Eventually she is caught, imprisoned, and sentenced to death. In prison at Newgate, she reunites with her Lancashire husband, who has also been arrested they both manage to have their sentences reduced, and they are transported to the colonies, where they begin a new life as plantation owners.
In America , moll rediscovers her brother and her son and claims the inheritance her mother has left her. Prosperous and repentant, she returns with her husband to England at the age of seventy.
Conclusion:-
"I think I have married a fortune, and a very good fortune too," he concludes. Mall finally spend her bank, which suggests she is finally secure in her life and no longer needs to worry about losing everything and being put out on the street.
Hello Readers! Myself payal Bambhaniya. I am pursuing master's degree from department of English, m.k. Bhavnagar university. Purpose of this blogging is to improve my writing skills.
Aristotle's poetics:-
Introduction :-
Plato :-
"Opinion is the medium between knowledge and ignorance."- Plato
Born:- 428/427 Bc
Died:- 348/347 Bc
Occupation:- philosopher, writer
Nationality:- Greek
Notable work:- Apology, the republic, laws etc.
Plato is widely considered a pivotal figure in the history of ancient Greek and western philosophy along with his teacher Socrates and his most famous student, Aristotle.
Aristotle:-
"Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom."-aristotle
Born:-384BCE
Died:-322BCE
Nationality:-greek
Occupation:- writer, teacher, Astronomer
Notable work:- poetics, on the soul, history of animals and ode to virtue
Aristotle was one of the greatest philosophers who ever lived and the first genuine scientist in history.he is a student of Plato.
Plato's main objection against poets and poetry:-
Poetry is inspiration and not rational, it's neither the correct means nor the method for finding out truth.
Poetry is written in state of frenzy.
Poetry is an art of imitation.
Aristotle's reply to Plato's charges
Poetry is not copying but making. Poet word comes from the Greek root
Poien:- to make
We learn by doing and making. Poetry represent reality in a useful way from which we can learn e.g. action of good man which are worth emulating.
Poetry v/s history
Poetry represent Universal's, what should be; as apposed to history, which represents particulars, of what has been or what is.
Poetry and catharsis:-
Poetry arouses the emotions in such a way as to increase our ability to concept them: catharsis.
Catharsis is the purification or purgation of the emotions especially pity and fear. Primarily through art.in criticism, catharsis is a metaphor used by Aristotle in the poetics to describe the effects of true tragedy on the spectator.
Theory of mimesis:-
Mimesis is a critical and philosophical terms that carries a wide range of meanings which includes imitation and mimicry. Aristotle is the founder and initaitor of this great haritage of literary criticism.
Hamartia:-
It's an error of judgement or tragic flaw.this error of judgement may arise from
1. Ignorance (odipus)
2.hasty and careless view (Othello)
3.decision taken voluntarily but not deliberately ( Hamlet, King Lear)
Definition of Tragedy:-
Tregedy is the branch of drama or novel. In the plot is the first principal the soul of tragedy.
Tragedy maintain three unities namely
1.unity of action
2.unity of time
3.unity of place
According to Aristotle a successful tragedy is constituted by six components and they are:-
Plot, character, thought, Diction, songs and spectacle.
Plot:-
Plot is the first principal the soul of tragedy.
Plot is the structure of the play, and around which the material parts are laid, just as the soul is the structure or a man.
Here is the response to the understanding of bridge course:- Aristotle's poetics.
Q. 1 Have you studied any tragedies during B.A. programme? Who was/were the tragic protagonist in the those tragedies? What was their hamartia?
Yes, I have studied some tragedies during B.A. main to tragedy bi study they are all my sons and Othello.
Othello:-
Writer:- William Shakespeare
Protagonist:- Othello
Hamartia:- in this case, Othello's hamartia or internal tragic flaw, is his extreme jealousy. Shakespeare is full of great example of hamartia.
All my sons:-
Writer:- Arthur Miller
Protagonist:- Joe Keller
Hamartia:- according to Aristotle, a tragic hero must have hamartia, which is translated into tragic flaw. Joe's tragic flaw is pride.
Q.2 Did the plot of those tragedies follow necessary rules and regulations purposed by Aristotle?
According to Aristotle, plot is the most essential part of tragedy. He says that tragedy is an "imitation of an action that is serious, complete and of a certain magnitude."
In a simple words, it can be said that deed, incidents, situations, motives and mental processes are all contained in the Idea of an action moving towards a specific end. All the above mentioned tragedies plot mostly follow the general concept of tragedy with some modifications rather than fixed rules and regulations purposed by Aristotle.
The tragedy Othello follows the chain of cause and effect observed by Othello's suspicious which cause jealous behaviour for Desdemona and this cause leads him to murder his own wife.
As far as the principal of probability and necessity is considered, the characters are true to nature beings, hence these kinds of incidents can be probably as well as possible too. So, the plot of the tragedy is true to that extent, that it be applicable to 21st century also.
Q.3 with the reference to the literary texts you have studied during B.A. programme, write brief note on the texts which did not follow Aristotelian literary tradition.
Arthur Miller's "all my sons" is one of the texts which in some ways, follow a tradition of the Aristotelian tragedy as the tragic hero of the play, Joe Keller undergoes every major characteristics that a tragic hero of Aristotle fales.
Joe Keller fits in the frames of Aristotle's concept a tragic hero he is true to life, is consistent in his thoughts and actions, and is neither an outright Saint nor a wicked criminal but a representative of normal human beings.
Though it is considered as a modern tragedy Joe Keller, like Aristotelian hero suffer from
Hamartia:- he makes a terrible error of dispatching the faculty parts in his limited views for his business and his family. Joe suffers not as a result of any wise but as a consequence of his error in judgement.
Catharsis:- an essential function of tragedy is arousing pity and fear in a way to accomplish catharsis of emotions in all my sons.pity for character is felt thought the hardership of Larry Keller and the future of family members after Joe's suicide.
In short the play can be, in some fererance, called a model similar to Aristotelian tragedy but it cannot be an Aristotelian tragedy.
Othello:-
Another illustration is Othello a tragedy of an ideal situation where a rather good man meets a terrible end. The hero is a moor with a higher rank, and speaks acts and does in a very probable way which gives the necessary outcome of his character.
A tragic hero with hamartia:-
Othello is a man of action; his tragic flaw is extreme jealousy. It's this jealous that leads to his catastrophic downfall. The villainous deeds of iago and his constant poisoning of Othello's ears will monstrous jealousy serve as a medium for murdering his own wife.
Catharsis:-
Othello's cruel act of murdering Desdemona arouses pity and fear in readers and causes catharsis in such a way that a group of emotions is disturbed.
