Aristotle was the first theorist of theatre &ndash; so his &quot;Poetics&quot; is the origin and basis of all subsequent theatre criticism.<br /><br />Aristotle&rsquo;s &quot;Poetics&quot;, though short, has been widely influential outside philosophical circles. Yet it is doubtful that it can be fully appreciated outside Aristotle&rsquo;s philosophical system as a whole.<br /><br />Central to all Aristotle&rsquo;s philosophy is the claim that nothing can be understood apart from its end or purpose (<i>telos</i>). Not surprisingly, the &quot;Poetics&quot; seeks to discover the end or purpose of all the poetic arts, and especially of tragic drama. Understood generally, the goal of poetry is to provide pleasure of a particular kind. All people by nature enjoy a good imitation (that is, a picture or drama) because they enjoy learning, and imitations help them to learn.