And furthermore, two of the most important elements in the emotional effect of tragedy, reversals and discoveries,See chapter 11. are parts of the plot.

And here is further proof: those who try to write tragedy are much sooner successful in language and character-study than in arranging the incidents. It is the same with almost all the earliest poets.

The plot then is the first principle and as it were the soul of tragedy: character comes second.

It is much the same also in painting; if a man smeared a canvas with the loveliest colors at random, it would not give as much pleasure as an outline in black and white.Selection and design are necessary for any work of representation.

And it is mainly because a play is a representation of action that it also for that reason represents people.