Why did Aristotle’s Poetics have such a major influence after the Renaissance?

Aristotle’s Poetics gained immense influence in Western literature after the Renaissance primarily because it was rediscovered and made widely accessible through new Greek and Latin translations in the late 15th and early 16th centuries.1

Its authority grew as Renaissance humanists and critics sought to harmonize its doctrines with prevailing views, such as those of the Roman poet Horace. A pivotal moment occurred in 1570 when the Italian critic Lodovico Castelvetro published an influential, albeit interpretive, translation. Castelvetro codified the "dramatic unities" of time, place, and action, which became central to the Neoclassical period.123

While Aristotle’s original text was descriptive, these later interpretations were often treated as prescriptive "rules" for drama. These principles were adopted by major playwrights like Jean Racine and Pierre Corneille to create works of concentrated, austere power. Ultimately, the Poetics provided a framework that allowed critics to categorize literary modes and justify the social value of art, making it a cornerstone of literary theory for centuries.314