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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What men does Aristotle consider to be "lower" types?

2. What does Aristotle identify as the foundation of good poetry writing?

3. Concerning the "laws of probability and necessity," what statement below is NOT correct according to Aristotle's teachings in "Poetics"?

4. Aristotle says that at most, episodic plots involve what?

5. What reason does Aristotle give for Homer excluding many things that Odysseus does on his voyage home in the "Odyssey"?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Aristotle say that poetry differs from history?

2. Aristotle points out that good poets may also write episodic stories. What reason does he give?

3. What does Aristotle say the goal of tragedy is and how does he say good poetry accomplish this goal?

4. Is the unity of plot the same as the unity of a character's actions? Explain.

5. Based on Aristotle's teachings, what does it mean when a plot is unified?

6. What are two reasons Aristotle says that men are drawn to write poetry?

7. How does Aristotle differentiate the arts from one another?

8. How does Aristotle classify or divide actions? Explain.

9. According to Aristotle, how does the method of imitation differ?

10. How does Aristotle define tragedy as a type of poetry?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Choose one of the following to write about:

1) Discuss epic poetry and the ways in which it's similar to and different from tragic poetry, as Aristotle explains.

2) Explain "heroic" meter, when it's used and why it's important based on what you learned from "Poetics".

3) Discuss the essence of poetry and poetic charm through Aristotle's teachings.

4) Compare two forms of art: the more refined and the less refined. Explain why Aristotle prefers one to the other.

Essay Topic 2

When constructing the plot, Aristotle says that the poet ought to do what first and why? When should the poet begin to fill out the individual episodes and scenes of the story? Why is it important to construct the plot in this way?

Essay Topic 3

Choose one of the following options to write about:

1) Discuss "Recognition" as defined by Aristotle and provide an example from "Poetics".

2) Discuss "Reversal of Situation" as defined by Aristotle and provide an example from "Poetics".

3) Based on Aristotle's teachings, explain how complex actions may effectively uses these devices.

(see the answer keys)

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