CriticaLink | Aristotle: Poetics | Terms

object

The object of imitation is one of the fundamental elements of mimesis in poetry; the other two are the medium and mode of imitation. All poetry, Aristotle seems to suggest, is at base the representation of human consciousness and actions. Under the category of object, Aristotle lists three of the components of tragedy: plot (the representation of the actions of the characters), character (the representation of the personalities of the characters), and thought (the representation of the intellectual processes of the characters as well as the values and beliefs articulated in the play.