Aristotle's Poetics : The Foundation of Literary Criticism. This blog is written as part of the Sunday Reading task given to us by Professor Dr. Dilip Barad Sir. The purpose of this task is to deepen our engagement with literature and critical thought by reading selected materials and then responding to them through blog writing. This initiative encourages us to build consistent creading habits and sharpen our analytical skills by reflecting on what we’ve read. Aristotle’s Poetics is one of the earliest and most influential works of literary theory in the Western tradition. Written in the 4th century BCE, it provides a systematic analysis of tragedy and other forms of poetry. While Plato distrusted poetry for its emotional power and lack of moral purpose, Aristotle defended art, especially tragedy, as a way to purge emotions and promote understanding. Aristotle’s Definition of Tragedy In his work Poetics, Aristotle defines tragedy as: "An imitation of an action that is s...
