"imitate vb. tr. 1. to try to follow the manner, style, etc., of or take as a model: many writers imitated the language of Shakespeare 2. to pretend to be or to impersonate, esp. for humour; mimic 3. to make a copy or reproduction of; duplicate." The Collins Concise Dictionary of the English Language, 1988 There are several forms of imitation within literary texts. In the perfect Aristotelian model of literature, the characters would behave in an everyday manner Aristotle desiring that "the portrayal should be appropriate" to the characters' social statuses, the plot which Aristotle termed "the...
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It seems, therefore, that most authors would agree with the basic premise of Aristotle"s statement, in that we have a constant desire, and indeed need for, imitation. However, something that has carried throughout literary history, since and possibly before Aristotle, is the alteration of the limits to which imitation must be imposed upon a text, and an experimental quest to find the bare minimum requirements for mimesis with a literary text. A text which conforms absolutely to Aristotle"s ideal would possibly be just as devoid of interest as a text that was completely outside any idea of imitation.