Significance of Classical Poetics with Reference to Indian and Greek Tradition in 21st Century

Abstract

Aristotle and Bharata Muni are the first propounders of dramaturgy in ancient Greece and India, respectively. Aristotle’s “Poetics” and Bharata Muni’s “Natyashastra” are two ancient texts that offer a theoretical understanding of drama and its purpose. Both are treatises on drama and are believed to be the earliest in the field. Both view drama as an art form that has different purpose, but the purpose differs from one another. Aristotle sees drama as a means of achieving catharsis, while Bharata Muni sees it as a means of delighting and instructing the audience. The central term in “Poetics” is mimesis, the relation of the story to the way the world works. This paper attempts to discuss the significance of both these critical texts in the tradition of drama in 21^st century.