Philosophy girl

backstory:

As preliminary research for my dissertation I have picked up a copy of Aristotle’s Poetics and have begun reading it before bedtime (I can only read a few pages before my eyes get unbearably heavy). Tonight I hit the most amazing section which deals with the different species and components of plots. Section 6.4 describes recognition, the moment in a plot when there’s a change from ignorance to knowledge. For a simple example, think of the moment when Oedipus realises that he is the cause of the plague upon Thebes!!!! insane moment.

What does this have to do with the Iliad?

Like any good classicist, (a student of classics, not to be mistaken with classist) I searched my mind for all other important recognition moments from the stories I’ve read. Doing this builds up an immense web of connected ideas, think of how Roam designed their note taking platfrom, except in your brain and you can recall all of it like a gunslinger (cool). POW! Now I’m thinking of the Iliad…

Book 18.100-20 contains what I find to be the most moving and important moment in the entire epic poem. I even wrote an essay about how this is the defining passage for the Iliad! If you are not familiar with the text, Achilles mourns Patroclus (his ride or die) and recognises that it was his wrath and rivalry with Agamemnon (arrogant overlord) that lead his partner’s death.

In this moment, Achilles denounces anger. In a poem about a 10 year war, that’s a pretty big deal. And so for the last 6 months I’ve been walking around telling people that this recognition is the most important and defining moment of the Iliad. I cant be too hard on myself, its still pretty important, but Aristotle pointed out why I’m wrong…

What did Aristotle say to you girl…

As Aristotle explained to me the different species and components of plot, I realised that I could no longer reasonably favour this one moment in the text: Achilles’ recogniton. If Aristotle only wrote section 6.4 on recognition, then how could I continue to hold that the Achilles’ recognition is the most important moment of the Iliad! Doing so would mean that I would unthinkingly devalue the rest of the text (think of the structures, the reversal, and other worthwhile complexities). If Aristotle has taught me anything its that a perfectly unified whole is the greatest art of all, and so I must let go of this imbalance. I can finally let go of my bias, thank you, Aristotle.