Marvelous Rendition of Aristotle's Poetics

Spoilers Below for Multiple MCU Movies.

The knowledge we gain does not disappear in a generation. With all the forms of media we have available today, humanity can easily pass down enriching skills and concepts. Looking closely at Marvel's Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, we can see not just a modern application of Aristotle's Poetics. But furthermore, we can see the origin of a hero, starting from their lowest point.

Dramatic Form

1) Plot

The plot of a story is always the most important aspect. The heart of the plot is the conflict between protagonist and antagonist. Similar to Aristotle's beliefs, the conflict is an internal struggle within the characters. For Iron Man, the struggle he faces is finding out how much he is willing to sacrifice for the greater good. His self sacrifice is enhanced through Thanos, a foil to Iron Man. Thanos is willing to sacrifice half the universe so that the other half may thrive. Iron Man, however, is forced to sacrifice himself to save all others.

Looking at the collection of films as a whole, the start of the plot begins with Tony Stark announcing his superhero identity as Iron Man. His reveal causes a chain reaction of events that make him question his selflessness. With all the mistakes causing new events, the story leads to the catharsis. Iron Man finds the selflessness required to save others that the expense of his own life.

2) Character

The character in focus in the MCU is Iron Man. Aristotle defines a well-crafted character to be virtuous, realistic, and consistent, which describes the development of Iron Man. Throughout the movies, Tony Stark constantly struggles to measure up to high moral standards. He aims to be virtuous, but time and time again, he fails, which is the reality of this world. His character development is gradual, as he visibly remains true to the inner self.

3) Thought

Tony Stark's thoughts drive forward many of the leading events in the MCU. The inception of the most notable thought occurred in Avengers: Age of Ultron. His fear for the evils lurking in the universe led him to create Ultron. However, his actions, which were lead by fear, produced a new threat to the world.

4) Diction

Dialogue is another important aspect for many forms of media. The difference between Aristotle's time versus today's era is the way in which words are said. However, the expression and the manner of which the line is delivered has remained important.

5) Song

In every movie there are dozens of soundtracks to accompany the emotions of the characters, and the path of the plot. Here's the soundtrack for the climax of the collection of 23 films.

6) Spectacle

Technology has advanced a long way since the Aristotle's era. Spectacle has evolved to greater costumes, props, and sensory effects. Movies are now intertwined with special effects, sound effects, and other visual touch-ups to draw the audience into the world of the movie for a few short hours.

Tragic Hero

Iron Man falls under the classification of a tragic hero under Aristotle's guidelines.

Tony Stark comes from a position of wealth and power. In the years before the creation of his Iron Man suit, Tony Stark manufactured and sold weapons. However, he unknowingly profited from sales fueling both sides of the war. Throughout the entirety of the Iron Man trilogy, we can see the vast luxuries that his wealth afforded him. Expensive suits, fancy cars, nearly unlimited resources, equally great opportunities, and association with the upper class. Tony Stark's involvement with generals, superheroes, and even Elon Musk shows his vast network with other individuals in positions of power.

Tony Stark's tragic flaw is his selfishness. His desires are always motivating his actions. In Iron Man, Tony reveals his identity for attention. In Avengers: Age of Ultron, Tony creates Ultron to satisfy his fears of death while protecting the world. In Captain America: Civil War, Tony agrees with the signing of the Sokovia accords to help his struggling relationship with his long-time girlfriend. All of his actions lead to the climax, where he reaches the moment of catharsis.

As explained previously, Tony Stark's destruction is a result of his tragic flaw. Tony struggles with self-sacrifice, with his personal needs always a motivator in his actions. However, in the end, Tony Stark overcomes his selfishness and pays the greatest price, sacrificing his life.

Character Defining Moment

Keeping with the theme of the blogs, we will analyze Tony Stark's lowest point, which is at the climax of it all. With all of the infinity stones in his hands, at his most powerful point, I believe that Tony Stark is at his lowest point. The reason for it is because there is so much for him to lose. In this moment, he has two options to choose from. One option is to find a possible better way to solve the problems. However, doing so would only lead to defeat, as the belief that there is only one path to survival was instilled into his mind by Doctor Strange. The other option is to sacrifice himself to save everyone in the universe. However, doing so would leave his family behind and a daughter to grow up without a father. With the fate of the universe in his hands, Tony Stark's final actions solidify his position as a hero. Although the thought was difficult and the action impossible, Tony Stark lays down his life for others. He overcomes his selfishness and puts others before him. At his lowest point, he proves everyone's doubts wrong as his acts reflect those of a true hero.

Conclusion

The knowledge we gain as a collective does not disappear with the death of the founder. Although Aristotle has long been gone from the world, his ideas still last throughout many forms of media today. One of the applications of Aristotle's knowledge is in the structure of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In stories, in books, movies, and even images, there is a universal and lasting idea to be told. Similarly to Aristotle's knowledge, we can also see the universal theme present in movies as well. Lessons are not restricted to books or plays, but are available in every form of media so that we as a collective can learn.

References Marvel Cinematic Universe. Created by Stan Lee. Produced by Kevin Feige.

Iron Man 3 Cover Image

Timeline Image Created with https://www.presentationgo.com/

The One, Endgame OST (2019). Alan Silvestri, Marvel Entertainment.