ABSTRACT
Aristotle, in the Poetics, takes the view that poets should not speak in their own voice, but should represent or show others speaking or acting, and this is because he thinks a first-person use of language can only be one which asks people to evaluate it in terms of truth whereas artistic mimesis is not assertoric. For Plato, poetic mimesis does indeed capture the appearance of things, this is the poet's skill but these appearances may render persons and actions attractive and acceptable which are ethically repugnant. Mimesis and katharsis are connected in that it is the mimetic qualities of the well-made play which allow the identifications and elicit the emotions of the katharsis. The normative requirements of unity are consequences of the idea of a mimesis which aims to represent a possible reality. Unity is made, not found, and mimesis should not be equated with any kind of 'slice of life' naturalism.
