Poetics/Rhetoric

The Art of Rhetoric , a guide on the principles behind oratorical skill, is a core text on the art of persuasion. Aristotle contends that rhetoric is one of the key elements of philosophy – along with logic and dialectic. The work consists of three books: the first is a general overview, the second concerns the means of persuasion that an orator must deploy, and the third discusses elements of style and arrangement. This recording also includes The Poetics , the earliest surviving work of dramatic theory, which has exerted a huge influence on Western drama and literature. It demonstrates how plot, character and spectacle can be combined to produce maximum impact in drama – and tragedy in particular.