In Aristotle's "Poetics," we are introduced to the philosophers thoughts and writings on the varying types of art forms including poetry, dance, sculpture and some forms of music. Also, he focuses on theatre and literature (comedy, tragedy and epic). These were all fundamental parts of life for the ancient Greeks and tremendously impact the development of Greece, therefore influencing modern societies that stem from Greece in some way. The people of Greece (mainly Athens) enjoyed theatre and literature largely. Before, after and in the time of Aristotle, the majority of literature written was in verse, which allowed for the highest thought to be woven like silk thread in the full design of the work through the rhythm and meter of words, resulting in a beautiful composition. A poem may also be deeply descriptive, metaphorical and rhythmic resulting in the perfect harmony of written work and song. Homers the Iliad and the odyssey are some of the most recognized examples of epic poems written in that period, describing the story of Achilles and the end of the Trojan war, followed by the outstanding adventures of Odysseus. .
In Poetics, Aristotle claims that poetry illuminates the truth about the human condition. Aristotle meant that through imitation and metaphorical portrayal, poetry makes clear the factualism, reality and correctness of the inimitable attributes of being a human, principally the ultimate question of human existence, whilst informing the reader about the realistic human character. .
While poetry is a beautiful and magnificent art form, at the same time as being fascinating, it cannot always necessarily illuminate anything let alone the human condition. Many poets try to make sense of the complex and intimidating subject of humanity but most fail and those that do may not capture the entirety of it. It is made harder by the fact that all humans are individual because a diverse collection of variegated experiences and individual thought (though thought can be influenced or manipulated by social media and pressure) and cannot be perfectly portrayed as one group.