Study Of "Katharsis" And "Poetry Can Complain"

The dissertation is focused on the core concept "katharsis" in the ancient Greek traditional poetic theory that derived from Aristotles POETICS in the perspective of comparative poetics and makes a definition and discrimination of it in the traditional Greek culture context."Katharsis" belongs to Aristotles theory about the function of literature,"poetry can complain" also is part of Confucius theory about the function of literature.Through comparison between the two,bring about the recognition of "Self" and "Other".To delving into the origin of "katharsis",we should take Platos understanding of tragedies as the first point,for Aristotles "katharsis" is proposed against it.Then we will trace the source of "katharsis" and investigate Aristotles real intention in POETICS.Aristotle thinks that pity and fear are proper meaning of tragedy,but they should be bound by reason,and should not be overdone.It reflects Aristotles "ZHONGDAO" thought."The quarrel between philossophy and poetry" can help us understanding of "katharsis",too.As part of Confucius theory about the function of literature,"Poetry can complain" also suggests "complainting but not angering".Confucius recognized the existence of emotion,but it should be expressed appropritely and restricted by ethics,this contradictions is reflection of Confucius "ZHONGYONG" thought.Deleting the poems by Confucius is not so mercilessly like Plato.It is only a kind of means of regulating the poetry,which is based on Confucius political ideal and the aim is to make poems stand stably at that age. Considering from social and political point of veiw but literature itself is the same place of Confucius,Plato and Aristotle.How much can literature services for society decides its stay or not,which is a kind ofphenomenon difficultly to be avoided in the era in which subjects confuse.Though,due to cultural difference of China and Greek,there are subtle difference between understanding of literatures founction in society.Both Aristotle and Confucius has won seat for poem,but there are some differences between there starting points,they are based on different cultural spirit and beliefs.Western culture makes reason the first,literature services reason at last;however,Chinese pay more attention to ethic,therefore it becomes criterion of the standard literature.If we think that poetry belongs to field of beauty,in that way, "katharsis" presents relationship between beauty and reason,and "poetry can complain" concerns relationship between beauty and ethic.