View a FREE sample

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

Short Answer Questions

1. How does Aristotle say the different types of poetry emerged?

2. When one character realizes that another character has fewer morals than he once thought, what does Aristotle say is happening?

3. In the context of poetry and according to Aristotle's teachings, why is man naturally attracted to imitation?

4. What, as Aristotle states, are good poets forced to do when they write stories with episodic plots?

5. In what three ways does Aristotle differentiate various art forms from one another?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. Whom does Aristotle say favors episodic, as opposed to epic, storytelling and why?

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

4. Based on Section I of Aristotle's "Poetics", how is the medium specific to poetry similar to and different from prose?

5. According to Aristotle, different types of poetry emerge from the personalities of different types of men. What are two examples Aristotle gives in relationship to personality of men and types of poetry?

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

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

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

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Based on Aristotle's "Poetics", how does poetry differ from history according to Aristotle? Why is poetry considered a higher pursuit than history to Aristotle? How does Aristotle define the "laws of probability and necessity"?

Essay Topic 2

Aristotle explains that poetry can have errors in two ways.

1) Explain these two types of errors.

2) Provide an example of each type of error.

Essay Topic 3

According to Aristotle, plot is the most essential element of tragedy; it is the sole element without which a tragedy could not exist. The development of character, though important, is secondary to the development of plot.

Part 1) Explain why the development of character is secondary to the development of plot.

Part 2) Through Aristotle's perspective, how should the plot of a well-written tragedy be structured?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 940 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample