Section 12
Chapter 12: Parts of Tragedy explained simply
Poetics by Aristotle
Original excerpt
Excerpt preview
[The parts of Tragedy which must be treated as elements of the whole have been already mentioned. We now come to the quantitative parts, and the separate parts into which Tragedy is divided, namely, Prologue, Episode, Exode, Choric song; this last being…
Read full original text in reading mode
Public-domain original
XII
Public-domain original text shown for study context.
Simple English explanation
Aristotle names the structural parts of tragedy as staged performance. This chapter is more technical, describing the formal pieces that make up a dramatic work.
1-minute summary
Aristotle lists the formal parts of tragedy, including prologue, episodes, exode, and choral sections. This chapter is more structural than philosophical, naming the pieces of Greek dramatic form.
Key takeaways
- Greek tragedy had recognizable formal divisions.
- Episodes carry staged action between choral parts.
- The chorus is part of the dramatic structure.
- Knowing the parts helps readers follow Aristotle’s later rules.
Modern example
Modern scripts still have recognizable parts: opening, scenes, songs or pauses, and closing movement.