Poetics is the earliest surviving work of dramatic theory and the first extant philosophical treatise to focus on literary theory by Aristotle, a Greek philosopher, and polymath during the Classical period in Ancient Greece.It is regarded as the world's first comprehensive treatise on literature. It is a detailed analysis of drama and poetry with its tremendous emphasis on tragedy. Aristotle outlines the elements of good drama drawing upon specific examples from the literature of ancient Greece. Lost for a time to the Western world, it was rediscovered in the late medieval and early renaissance period from Arabic sources. An essential read for any student of classical literature, it provides great insight into the study of drama from the classical period.