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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. How does Aristotle characterize tragedies with happy endings?

2. Why does Aristotle say that Homer's "Iliad" is not a tragedy?

3. According to Aristotle, why do the greatest tragedy poets always choose characters that belong to such groups?

4. What is the purpose of the conclusion according to Aristotle?

5. Into how many parts does Aristotle say a language can be divided?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Aristotle say in regard to how actions in a plot should be chosen?

2. Based on "Poetics" by Aristotle, explain how the effect of a sad plot will be magnified?

3. What does Aristotle say that a poet should do first when constructing the plot of a tragedy?

4. What does Aristotle identify as the most successful kind of action in a tragedy and why?

5. List at least two things that Aristotle says a poet of a tragedy should always accomplish when depicting his characters.

6. In addition to recognition through sign, what are some other ways that Aristotle identifies as ways in which recognition can occur?

7. When does Aristotle say the use of recognition through sign is used poorly?

8. While some tragedies may use impressive visual effects when performed on stage to impress their spectators, what type of tragedy according to Aristotle does not require such spectacles and why?

9. In regard to the plot device of recognition, give an example that Aristotle provides in "Poetics" of how recognition can occur through some recognition of sign.

10. Based on Aristotle's reasoning, what type of main character should a poet choose and why?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Based on Aristotle's teachings, with what type of actions does tragedy concern itself? How does tragedy accomplish its goals of inspiring certain emotions in the audience? What is the foundation of good poetry writing according to Aristotle?

Essay Topic 2

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 3

The goal of tragedy, as explained by Aristotle, is to construct a plot that successfully inspires what in the spectator or reader? How should the actions depicted in the plot be chosen? How can the poet effectively inspire certain emotions to a great scale?

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