Classical Criticism Notes | Plato & Aristotle

 An Introduction 

Introduction to Dialogue as a Classical Genre:

1.     Philosophical and Investigative Roots:

·        Dialogue, at its peak, served as a philosophical and investigative endeavor, closely intertwined with artistic expression.

·        Characters presenting opinions fitting their personas engaged in debates, establishing a connection with public speech forms.

·        Greek Influence on Dialogue:

·        Greek society saw dialogue as a form of oratory and rhetoric, employed in diverse settings like courts, political gatherings, and theater.

·        Early examples found in the works of Herodotos and Thucydides, where philosophical dialogues involved real or imaginary characters.

2.    Development through Mimes:

·        Mimes, a quasi-theatrical art form, significantly influenced the evolution of philosophical dialogue.

·        Early mime, a blend of storytelling, dance, mimicry, song, and dialogue, performed in various settings like marketplaces, banquets, and weddings.

3.    Sophron's Contribution:

·        Sophron of Syracuse, a fifth-century B.C. mime writer, contributed with pieces reflecting lower societal strata, entirely comedic in nature.

·        His son continued the tradition, though no titles of his mimes survived.

4.    Transition to Verse:

·        Third-century B.C. saw mime writers incorporating verse influenced by the poetic dialogue of tragedy and comedy.

·        Herodas, with iambic meter, continued the tradition with literary mimes like The Bawd, The Pimp, and The Jealous Mistress.

5.    Pervasive Influence:

·        Mime dialogues, enacted year-round, had a broad impact on the development of the genre in theater and philosophical writings.

·        Interaction with poets of high standing was common, influencing epic and bucolic poems.

6.    Popularity and Transformation:

·        Mime's popularity increased as high-quality drama declined.

·        Transformation into paignia and hypothesis occurred, accompanied by new performer names like magodoi and mimologoi.

·        Vulgarity and obscenity led to conflict with the Christian Church, but mime persisted into the Middle Ages.

Focus on Dialogue:

·        In mime, dialogue took center stage, with a concentration on creating unique characters and situations.

·        Although often sung, the spirit of argumentation and the juxtaposition of opposing views made dialogue compelling.

Dialogue as Mimesis:

7.    Artistic Recreation:

·        Ancients viewed dialogue as a mimesis, an artistic recreation or imitation of supposed conversations between recognizable characters.

·        Accuracy in reporting speakers' words was not the primary goal; preserving main ideas and conflicting views took precedence.

·        Ancients didn't view dialogue as a literal reproduction of arguments but as mimesis, an artistic recreation.

·        It imitated supposed conversations between recognizable historical or contemporary figures.

8.    Purpose of Dialogue:

·        Dialogue aimed to convey the main theme, with digressions considered essential for creating interest.

·        Realistic and accurate reporting of words was secondary; emphasis on preserving conflicting views and main ideas prevailed.

·        Realistic and accurate reporting of speakers' words was not the primary aim.

·        Emphasis on preserving main ideas and conflicting views upheld by speakers.

 

9.Nature of Dialogue:

·        Main theme well-stated; digressions essential for interest.

·        Situations topical, but themes needed enduring relevance.

·        Art of conversation preserved through epic, mimetic, and theatrical traditions.

10.Social Censure and Criticism:

·        Dialogue served as a means of social censure.

·        Unlike modern relativism, ancient Greek culture insisted on strict adherence to prevailing norms.

·        Dialogue used for criticism, bewailing, lamenting, or satirizing to assess things as positive or negative.

11. Socratic Influence:

·        Socrates paved the way for philosophical analysis through dialogue.

·        Dialogue aimed to constantly redefine and uphold ethical behavior.

6.4 Socratic Parlance

12. Development of Socratic Dialogue:

·        Early Socratic dialogue likely scribblings by disciples; later rewritten as mimetic creations.

·        Major composers: Plato, Xenophon, Aeschines.

13. Platonic Dialogues:

·        About 25 dialogues by Plato, varied in style and approach over time.

·        Early dialogues project Socrates' personality; he's portrayed as jovial, celebrative, and austere.

·        Socratic method seeks real knowledge, happiness, and personal good through questioning and rejecting answers.

14.Evolution in Themes:

·        Middle period dialogues more expository, with reduced dramatic suspense.

·        Last phase dialogues focus on didactic answers, portraying the philosopher as one who has arrived and brings wisdom.

1.    Greek vs. European Style:

·        Greek dialogue preserves the ambience of truth emerging from conversation.

·        European style emphasizes clear layout of subject matter, main premises, and reasons for and against the thesis.

2.    6.5 Later Tradition

1. Aristotle and After:

·        Aristotle followed Plato's dialogical tradition but preferred longer expositions.

·        Lull in dialogue writing followed, with Plutarch and Lucian producing noteworthy pieces later.

2. Plutarch's Dialogues:

·        Plutarch's extant dialogues lack Platonic depth but provide insights into prevalent lifestyles.

·        De sollertia animalium debates intelligence in water vs. land animals; other books patterned after learned table talk.

3. Lucian's Contribution:

·        Lucian's early dialogues full of satiric humor, influenced by mime.

·        Later works more serious, influenced by Plato.

4. Latin Tradition:

·        Dialogue writing enthusiastically emulated in the Latin tradition.

·        Cicero and others leaned towards an expository mode closer to rhetoric than the dramatic method of Platonic investigation.

5. Sophists and Roman Period:

·        Sophists, professional tutors, promoted dialogue and rhetoric as part of educational skills.

·        Sophistry, in its better form, was the art of persuasion and discussion.

·        Sophistry declined in the Roman period under Christian influence.

Investigative versus Expositional Dialogue

1. Developmental Stages:

·        Two stages in analytical tools development: investigative and expositional.

·        Investigative method indicates clear conclusions after thorough analysis.

·        Expositional method states and amplifies hypotheses.

2. Historical Context:

·        Investigative method dominated earlier, seen in Socratic dialogues during the age of theatre and democracy.

·        Expositional method matured with Aristotle during the age of tyrannies and imperialism.

3. Literary Examples:

·        European literature exemplifies both methods; Hamlet reflects investigative, while The Divine Comedy follows expositional tradition.

·        Similar patterns observed in non-European literatures influenced by Greek literature.

4. Critical Heritage of Greek Dialogue:

·        Greek dialogue contributes ironic and moralistic approaches.

·        Plato and Aristotle represent these approaches respectively.

·        Influence evident in later European literary traditions and philosophical works.

5. Twentieth Century Interpretations:

·        T.S. Eliot's "three voices" in poetry - poet speaking to self, addressing others, and as a dramatic persona - expand Greek tradition in modern understanding.

1. Significance of Dialogue:

·        Dialogue, a special contribution of Hellenic culture, combines investigation and imaginative rendering.

·        Reflects antidogmatic urge, dismantling established notions causing social oppression or intellectual sterility.

2. Mimesis and Preservation:

·        Recognized as a formal way to preserve oral interchanges in courts, political gatherings, and performing arts.

·        Functions as a mimesis, artistically preserving subject matter for future generations.

3. Connection to Democracy:

·        Flourished when democracy had influence in the political system.

·        Socrates, progenitor of dialogues, willingly faced death for expounding ideas through investigative and skeptical speech.

4. Facets of Ancient Mind:

·        Exemplifies ancient mind: quest for truth, capacity to contradict and ridicule established norms, acceptance of social boundaries set by custom and religious sanctions.

Introduction to Aristotle's Theory of Tragedy

1. Catharsis in Tragedy:

·        Aristotle emphasizes catharsis as the general mental state that tragedy must evoke.

·        Uncertainty about whether catharsis occurs within the play or in the audience.

2. Aristotle's Definition of Tragedy:

·        Aristotle's Poetics defines tragedy as an imitation of serious, complete, and significant action.

·        Proper pleasure (oikeia hedone) and catharsis are mentioned as key elements.

1. Pleasure in Tragedy:

·        Three aspects of pleasure in tragedy: derived from pity and fear through imitation, completeness of action, and music/spectacular effects.

·        Proper pleasure and catharsis are not mutually exclusive; both caused by arousal of pity and fear.

2. Interpretations of Catharsis:

·        Medical interpretation from the 19th century sees catharsis as a purgation of afflictions.

·        Musical catharsis is compared to tragic catharsis in Politics, bringing pleasurable relief.

·        Butcher suggests that tragic catharsis transforms lower emotions into refined forms.

3. Duality of Purity and Impurity:

·        Greek plays depict acts of transgression leading to pollution (miasma) and the subsequent need for purgation (catharsis).

·        Tragedy as a representation of the cycle of miasma and catharsis.

4. Ritual Significance of Tragedy:

·        Tragedy as an annual enactment reaffirms the cultural value of miasma-catharsis duality.

·        Tragedy serves the purpose of preserving and transmitting myths, reliving beliefs, and reenacting behavior patterns.

5. Gerald Else's Interpretation:

·        Else sees catharsis as proving the purity of tragic acts, focusing on the remorse of the doer.

·        Catharsis, for Else, is about proving the act was pure rather than benefiting the audience emotionally.

6. Unified Approach:

·        Aristotle's catharsis concept should combine spiritual, clinical, and aesthetic effects.

·        A harmonious view acknowledges emotional catharsis in the audience, aligning with the unified approach of the ancients.