This paper presents an introductory overview of Plato’s poetics, aesthetics, and literary theory, with particular reference to his notion of mimesis, and grounding the discussion on his Theory of Ideas. It is part of a lecture series on the history of literary criticism, partly available online as HYPERCRITICA: A HYPERTEXTUAL HISTORY OF LITERARY CRITICISM. http://www.unizar.es/departamentos/filologia_inglesa/garciala/hypercritica/00.Hypercritica.html

Keywords: Plato, Philosophy, Literary theory, Aesthetics, Poetics, Ideas, Representation, Mimesis