WORD: Imitate

Aristotle's organizes the "genres" of the poetic arts under the banner of imitation. Painting to poetry builds its business of art on imitating. Aristotle says that what we call modern day theatre arts strive through action to show life, that is to imitate. The OED defines "to imitate" as "to make or produce a copy or representation of; to copy, reproduce." It is this representation or replica of life that entertains human beings. "We delight to view the most realistic representations...in art."(p. 227)