Opsis - Aristotle and The Greeks

Aristotle and The Greeks

Aristotle's use of the term opsis, as Marvin Carlson points out, are the "final element of tragedy" as outlined by Aristotle, but "receive no further consideration". Aristotle discusses opsis in book 6 of the poetics, but only goes as far as to suggest that "spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet".

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