Of all the writings on theory and aesthetics—ancient, medieval, or modern—the most important is indisputably Aristotle’s Poetics, the first philosophical treatise to propound a theory of literature. In the Poetics, Aristotle writes that he will speak of comedy—but there is no further mention of comedy. Aristotle writes also that he will address catharsis and an analysis of what is funny. But he does not actually address any of those ideas. The surviving Poetics is incomplete.

Until today. Here, Walter Watson offers a new interpretation of the lost second book of Aristotle's Poetics. Based on Richard Janko’s philological reconstruction of the epitome, a summary first recovered in 1839 and hotly contested thereafter, Watson mounts a compelling philosophical argument that places the statements of this summary of the Aristotelian text in their true context. Watson renders lucid and complete explanations of Aristotle’s ideas about catharsis, comedy, and a summary account of the different types of poetry, ideas that influenced not only Cicero’s theory of the ridiculous, but also Freud’s theory of jokes, humor, and the comic.

Finally, more than two millennia after it was first written, and after five hundred years of scrutiny, Aristotle’s Poetics is more complete than ever before. Here, at last, Aristotle’s lost second book is found again.

Of all the writings on theory and aesthetics—ancient, medieval, or modern—the most important is indisputably Aristotle’s Poetics, the first philosophical treatise to propound a theory of literature. In the Poetics, Aristotle writes that he will speak of comedy—but there is no further mention of comedy. Aristotle writes also that he will address catharsis and an analysis of what is funny. But he does not actually address any of those ideas. The surviving Poetics is incomplete.

Until today. Here, Walter Watson offers a new interpretation of the lost second book of Aristotle's Poetics. Based on Richard Janko’s philological reconstruction of the epitome, a summary first recovered in 1839 and hotly contested thereafter, Watson mounts a compelling philosophical argument that places the statements of this summary of the Aristotelian text in their true context. Watson renders lucid and complete explanations of Aristotle’s ideas about catharsis, comedy, and a summary account of the different types of poetry, ideas that influenced not only Cicero’s theory of the ridiculous, but also Freud’s theory of jokes, humor, and the comic.

Finally, more than two millennia after it was first written, and after five hundred years of scrutiny, Aristotle’s Poetics is more complete than ever before. Here, at last, Aristotle’s lost second book is found again.

Contents:

Introduction

The Lost Second Book of Aristotle’s Poetics Aims of the Present Book Method to Be Followed Prospective Readers

Part I. Groundwork

Chapter 1. Aristotle’s Arts and Sciences

The Organon Preface to the Theoretical Sciences Mathematics The Physical Sciences The Biological Sciences First Philosophy The Order of the Arts and Sciences The Practical Sciences The Productive Sciences: Poetics Rhetoric Scientific Rationality as a Guiding Idea

Chapter 2. Causes

Part II. The Symbolon Argument

Chapter 3. Causes in the Poetics

Chapter 4. Poetic Imitation

The Analysis of Poetic Imitation The Scope of Poetic Imitation The Evolution of Poetic Imitation

Chapter 5. Expectations of Poetics II

Chapter 6. The Epitome of Poetics II

Chapter 7. Comparison of the Epitome with Our Expectations

Part III. The Kinds of Poetry

Chapter 8. Imitative Poetry

The Autonomy of Imitative Poetry The Autonomy of Aristotelian Disciplines Autonomy of Art in the Aristotelian Tradition

Chapter 9. Historical, Educational, and Imitative Poetry

Chapter 10. Historical Poetry

Historical Poetry Historical Poetry and History Historical Poetry and Imitative Poetry Historical Poetry and Rhetoric

Chapter 11. Educational Poetry

Poetry and Philosophy Poetry and Education

Chapter 12. Transition to the Specific Ends of Imitative Poetry

Part IV. The End of Tragedy

Chapter 13. The End of Tragedy as Catharsis

Chapter 14. The Fearful Emotions

Chapter 15. The Removal of Emotions by Emotions

Chapter 16. The Aim of Tragedy: Symmetry

Chapter 17. The Mother of Tragedy: Pain

Chapter 18. Poetry and the Practical Sciences

Poetic and Therapeutic Catharsis Is Catharsis in the Poem or the Audience? Is Catharsis Educative? The Practical Ends of Poetry

Part V. Comedy

Chapter 19. The Definition of Comedy

Chapter 20. The Mother of Comedy: Laughter

Chapter 21. The Laughable

The Definition of the Laughable Accounts of the Laughable The Causes of the Laughable Laughter from the Diction Laughter from the Incidents Cicero’s Account of Laughter The Science of the Laughable

Chapter 22. The Embodiment of the Laughable in Comedy

The Matter and Parts of Comedy Old, New, and Middle Comedy

Conclusion