Poetics

I like that the beginning starts out with the thought that imitation is an instinct of our nature, and thus poetry was born. Like one of my professors last semester was fond of the quote that goes "Poetry is what was once thought, but ne'er so well expressed." Poetry is the drive that makes us aspire.

"Defective plots: Of all plots and actions the episodic are the worst. I call a plot 'episodic' in which the episodes or acts succeed one another without probable or necessary sequence. Bad poets compose such pieces by their own fault, good poets, to please the players; for, as they write show pieces for competition, they stretch the plot beyond its capacity, and are often forced to break the natural continuity."

I actually almost laughed over this quote. I happen to enjoy modernist poetry very much, and it is by definition episodic and fractured and seems to please the poet more than the audience. I love the challenge, however, and I think it makes smarter readers by having plots that aren't so easy to follow.

"The second thing to aim at is propriety. There is a type of manly valor; but valour in a woman, or unscrupulous cleverness is inappropriate."
Ahem. I enjoy being a woman and am not ashamed that I am pro-woman in most areas. This idea that women can or can't be certain types of characters is unnatural and untrue. I think this breaks his own next rule that characters types should be true to life.