Poetics by Aristotle | Terms | CriticaLink The term "spectacle" refers to all components of the tragedy that contribute to its sensory impact, including as clothing, scenery, the players' motions, the sound of the music, and the resonance of the actors' voices. These components are essential to the drama and cannot be removed without destroying it completely. Aristotle is referring to all the things that watch us onstage, whether they are characters in the play or not. They include the actors themselves but also includes settings, costumes, and makeup. All these elements combine to create an impression on the audience, which is what tragedy is supposed to do. This concept comes before our time. From ancient Greece to modern day, theater has been a popular form of entertainment where people go to see plays written for the stage. Spectacles are parts of the play used to enhance its effect on audiences. In Shakespeare's time, theater was different from today's form of entertainment. There were no actors behind masks, only characters who spoke their lines directly to the audience. Characters wore clothes to indicate their social status, just like people in real life. This was enough action for Shakespeare's time; there were no special effects used today in theatrical shows. Modern movies use special effects to create scenes that could never be done with just actors alone- spaceships, giant monsters, and other futuristic technology.