Question

Which of the following elements of drama was termed as mythos by Aristotle ?

• A. Character
• B. Fundamental unities of time, place and action
• C. Plot
• D. Protagonist

Hint:

To remember Aristotle's most important element, associate Mythos with "myth" or "story." The plot is the story or the structure of the action, which Aristotle considered fundamental to tragedy.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The question asks to identify the element of drama that Aristotle referred to by the Greek term mythos in his influential work, Poetics.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
In Poetics, Aristotle identified six constituent elements of tragedy. He listed them in order of importance:
\begin{enumerate} \item Plot (Mythos): The arrangement of incidents. Aristotle called this the "soul of tragedy." \item Character (Ethos): The moral qualities of the agents. \item Thought (Dianoia): The themes, arguments, and ideas expressed by the characters. \item Diction (Lexis): The use of language and expression. \item Song (Melos): The musical element of the chorus. \item Spectacle (Opsis): The visual aspects of the production. \end{enumerate} From this list, it is clear that Aristotle used the term mythos to refer to the Plot. The "unities of time, place, and action" were a later neoclassical interpretation based on Aristotle's work, not one of his named elements.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The correct option is (C).