theory of imitation g1.pptx

imitation

1. Theory of Imitation by Aristotle Group 1 Kainat Zahra : 1825116108 Nooria Shiraz : 1825116092 Eesha Ahmad : 1825116027 Javeria Kiran : 1825116066 Farheen Qazi : 1825116032 Rimsha Javed : 1825116095

2. What is imitation? “ Imitation is defined as something copied or derived from original.” Imitation is derived from a Greek word mimesis which connotes the same meaning as of imitation, i.e. copying. The relation between morality and imitation has been the bone of contention since classical theorists to critics of modern age. Aristotle explicated the idea of imitation in contrary to his mentor Plato .

3. Imitation according to Plato According to Plato, our world is the copy of an ideal world, an ideal world being an actual real world that exists somewhere unknown. He said that poetry and art in general is a copy of the original ‘poetry and art’ from the ideal state. Plato coded imitation negatively and stated that it is twice removed from reality. His problems concerned with imitation were theological, moral and psychological. Imitation has an unfavorable effect on young people and is even harmful for them because it encourages short term indulgence in emotions and represents injustice amongst the Gods in the assertion that Gods are the ones responsible for unhappiness in humans.

4. Imitation according to Aristotle Aristotle is very optimistic in his views of imitation and elaborates it his book Poetics written in 335 B.C. He says that imitation leads us towards the truth and should be learnt by everyone. He regards it as a pleasurable activity and believes in the creative power of the poet for its reconstruction. The poetic imitation involves transformation of material into art. He claimed that art deals with aesthetic truth while philosophy deals with concrete and absolute truth.

5. Aristotle supposes that the hyperbolic representation of emotion is beneficial in providing opportunities for the cathartic release of unhealthy feelings in individuals. Poetic imitation is the representation of reality in an alluring and captivating manner which is pleasing for the audience/readers. To Aristotle, all forms of art were modes of imitation. Some modes mentioned in Poetics are epic poetry, tragedy, comedy, dithyrambic poetry, flute-playing and lyre-playing. These can be imitated in three different ways. Means/ Medium Object Manner

6. Mean/Medium o f Imitation “ It is the source or mean by which an artist creates something.” For instance, a painter’s medium of imitation are forms and colors whereas a poet’s mediums are rhythm and harmony. Although poetry and painting differ in medium of imitation but at the same time, both are closer to music. Contrastingly, poetry and music have the same medium of imitation but differ in object and manner. According to Aristotle, music captures human ethos and presents it in rhythm and harmony which shows the realistic imitation of calmness and wilderness.

7. Object of Imitation Aristotle makes use of imitation to differentiate between Tragedy and Comedy. In the former, he describes that men are depicted as better than they are, in the form of legends, tragic heroes etc. This image of a better version of the men is what lives up to the characteristic of 'greater morality hence the spectator definitively finds catharsis by the end. In the latter that is comedy, a man is represented by a poet in a persona that is worse and afflicted some defect or ugliness that gives the audience a satirical view of the world .

8. Aristotle believes that comedy functions in a similar fashion with tragedy but in the opposite way. In tragedy, the spectator is aggrieved over the fate of a man who must suffer for his flaw, however touched by the possibility that he too might possess this flaw. But in a comedy, we laugh at the hero's flaw, comforted by the fact that it is not ours. In truth, comedy and tragedy both have a moralizing impact on the audience. Yet it is less prominent in comedy, since "comedies tend to be about bad behavior and people doing ugly, immoral, or ridiculous things". Aristotle acknowledges imitation as the primary object of comedy , describing low characters as not morally bad, but farcical, absurd but not painful or destructive. He defended comedies' mimetic representation of ludicrous behavior because it would encourage audiences to avoid its imitation.

9. Manner of Imitation Imitation can also occur in a third way, by the manner through which it is imitated. A poet may imitate by narration- in which case he can either take another personality as Homer does, or speak in his own person , or he may present all his characters as living and moving before us. This last point raises the concept of Narrative Voice in relation to screenwriting. What is our point-of-view in relation to the subject matter as we ‘narrate’ events? Genre + Style = Narrative Voice So as screenwriters, we not only have to be aware of our medium [screenplay] and our object [characters], we also have to be cognizant of our manner of imitation, the specific voice we use to narrate the story. Do we use voiceover narration? Do we tell the story through the perspective of one or more characters? How do we use style to underscore the genre of our story? All of this would seem to fall under the category of “manner of imitation.”

10. Conclusion Aristotle’s theory of Imitation is a great landmark in the history of literary criticism. It has been accepted all over the world as a guiding principle. By declaring poetic Imitation a creative process Aristotle has given Poetry a very high place in the realm of Art and literature. So imitation not only imparts pleasure by giving perfection where the nature lacks it also elevates morality. Imitation does not corrupt, but it uplifts the moral sense in humans. Critics differs radically in their concept of relation between morality and imitation, their theories varies from uplifting views on morality to remote idealism.