Rhetoric and Poetics

Poetics and Rhetoric are the two major works by Aristotle which, after more than 2,000 years, remain key behavioural handbooks for anyone interested in story, performance, presentation and indeed psychology. The continuing influence of Poetics, for example, is readily discernible even among the scriptwriters of Hollywood! Poetics is the shorter work, lasting under two hours, whereas Rhetoric - the art of persuasion, an important subject, particularly in Greek and Roman times but even today - is more extensive, running to nearly nine hours. In Poetics, Aristotle discusses the structure behind drama, comedy, tragedy and the satire plays as well as lyric poetry, epic poetry and music. The structure of a work, the plot, the characters as well as pace and rhythm are all considered. To listen to Poetics is a revelation, like going back to the source of literary theory. Aristotle developed his view on rhetoric over a period of 40 years, and the work is now regarded as the key source on the su