Aristotle's poetics in relation to the narrative structure of the screenplay

This study is dedicated to the analysis of the narrative structure of the screenplay in relation to Aristotle’s Poetics. This analysis begins with a general discussion of the various misconceptions of Aristotelian topoi which were gradually created in the course of centuries of applying the Poetics to drama and literature. One of the principal concerns of this study has been to trace specific misconceptions of screenwriting theorists that discuss the Poetics in relation to screenwriting narrative techniques. The discussion of these misconceptions has a double aim: firstly, to disengage the Aristotelian narrative system from the classical narrative system and secondly, to highlight the potential of the Poetics for the specific needs of a screenplay’s narrative. The two misconceptions analysed in great detail in this study are mimesis and katharsis and there is also a thorough examination of the basic elements of the Aristotelian theory on plot structure. Chapter I of this study is dedicated to a discussion of mimesis as it has been viewed by Aristotelian scholars as well as screenwriting theorists. In Chapter I, I have tried to prove that the Aristotelian mimesis is not related to idealistic realism but to verisimilitude. I have analysed what the implication of this conclusion is in terms of Aristotelian, classical and counter-Aristotelian screenplay narrative structures.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

mphil

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

masters

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Nottingham Trent University

Year dc:date.issued

2009

Author dc:creator

• Economopoulou, K

Language dc:language

en