A Survey of Tragedy
A modern tragedy of today and a tragedy of ancient Greece are two very different concepts, but ironically, both are linked by many similarities. In “Poetics”, Aristotle defines and outlines tragedy for theatre in a way that displays his genius, but raises questions and creates controversy. Aristotle’s famous definition of tragedy states:
“A tragedy is the imitation of an action that is serious, and also as having magnitude, complete in itself in language with pleasurable accessories, each kind brought in separately in the parts of the work; in a dramatic, not in a narrative form: with incidents arousing pity and fear; wherewith to accomplish its catharsis of such emotions.”
I believe Aristotle’s meaning of “Imitate” is to play out, as in acting, and with “Magnitude” is to imply great importance or consequence. The phrase “complete in itself in language” is the method in which the drama is delivered to the audience, while “pleasurable accessories” would refer to the costumes, props and stage. Where Aristotle states; “each kind brought in separately in the parts of the work”, I believe he is referring to the different “Scenes” within the different “Acts”. His term “dramatic, not in a narrative form” refers to “Acting”. His phrase with “incidents arousing pity and fear” would indicate the audience should witness events that drive emotion toward somebody they admire. Aristotle’s phrase, “wherewith to accomplish its catharsis of such emotions, would indicate that at the end of the play there should be a act that will purge the emotions the play was intended to create.
I feel “Poetics” provides a sound blueprint for constructing a story that will immerse an audience into an adventure. By providing, a real...
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...’s man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a Shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back — that’s an earthquake. And then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory.”
I believe the similarities have proved, through the test of time, that Aristotle’s definition of tragedy to be both enduring and accurate.
Works Cited
Aristotle. “Concept of Tragedy": An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. 1991: 1203-1205
Miller, Arthur. “Death of a Salesman”: Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. 1991: 280-317
Miller, Arthur "Tragedy and the Common Man," Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. 1991: 1831-1833
Sophocles. “Oedipus the King”: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. 1991:1205-1244
Corrigan, Robert W. Classical Tragedy, Greek and Roman: 8 Plays in Authoritative Modern Translations Accompanied by Critical Essays. New York, NY: Applause Theatre Book, 1990. Print.
Miller, Arthur. Death of a Salesman. Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. Seventh Edition. X.J. Kennedy, and Dana Gioia. New York: Addison Wesley Longman, Inc., 1999. 1636-1707.
In Euripides Medea, readers are introduced to a woman overtaken by the desire to seek revenge against her husband. To best appreciate Medea, one must take note of how the play reflects a variety of elements seen in Aristotelian tragedy. In Aristotle’s Poetics, he introduces tragedy as, “the imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude… through pity and fear effecting the proper purification of these emotions” (1153). He also indicates that
The genre of tragedy is one that has fascinated readers since its very conception. From the intricacies of the plots, to the internal and external struggles of the characters, tragedies are woven together in such a way that the reader is drawn into the story. Two types of tragedies particularly fascinate readers, although they diverge greatly, especially around the theme of revenge. In the areas of motivation for the revenge. and characteristics of the revenger, Greek and Senecan tragedies vary greatly.
Euripides (485-406 BC) is considered a paramount tragedian from Ancient Greek culture. In Medea, Euripides depicts tragedy in an epic play both genders could partake in at that time by signifying drama. To Euripides, tragedy is a revolunatary form of speech to writing, intertwining too cultivate barbaric motifs of dystopian structure in literature. In dystopian Ancient Greek tragedian literature Euripides used powerful theatrical form of art to show everything being unpleasant or in bad standing to Athenian audiences. As the narrator begins to captivate the audience, he separates’ the performance into different episodes where Medea, actors play individuals’ roles, and a chorus of woman whom sings and dance as a group.
Myers, H. A. (1949). Aristotle's study of tragedy. Educational Theatre Journal, 1(2), 115. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1290192594?accountid=12085
Now, if it is true that tragedy is the consequence of a man 's total compulsion to evaluate himself justly, his destruction in the attempt posits a wrong or an evil in his environment. And this is precisely the morality of tragedy and its lesson. The discovery of the moral law, which is what the enlightenment of tragedy consists of, is not the discovery of some abstract or metaphysical quantity.
Aristotle is the most influential philosopher in the history of Western thought. A Greek drama by Sophocles, Oedipus Rex, was praised in the Poetics of Aristotle as the model for classical tragedy and is still considered a principal example of the genre. In this essay I will analyze Oedipus Rex using Aristotle's concepts praxis, poiesis, theoria.
Aristotle’s Poetics is a written work that generates a loose standard for tragedy and also creates a solid definition to produce a
The Elizabethan drama, Christopher Marlowe’s, Edward the Second is, according to Aristotle’s definition of the word, a tragedy. That is to say it concerns the fall of a great man because of a mistake he has made or a flaw in his character. During this essay I will demonstrate how this definition of tragedy applies to Edward II.
Aristotle, a philosopher, scientist, spiritualist and passionate critic of the arts, spent many years studying human nature and its relevance to the stage. His rules of tragedy in fact made a deep imprint on the writing of tragic works, while he influenced the structure of theatre, with his analysis of human nature. Euripides 'Medea', a Greek tragedy written with partial adherence to the Aristotelian rules, explores the continuation of the ancient Greek tales surrounding the mythology of Medea, Princess of Colchis, and granddaughter of Helios, the sun god, with heartlessness to rival the infamous Circe. While the structure of this play undoubtedly perpetuates many of the Aristotelian rules, there are some dramatic structures which challenge its standing with relevance to Aristotle's guidelines, and the judgment of Medea as a dramatic success within the tragic genre.
The other three elements of tragedy as defined by Aristotle that is Melody, Diction and Spectacle can all be traced in the play. With regards to Melody Sophocles makes the chorus know the story line of the play hence making it very easy for the audience to understand the play. Diction that is the style of Oedipus and spectacle which includes the visual effects and stage appearance makes the audience appreciate the play wholeheartedly.
Theater is a natural outlet for our desire to hear and tell stories, and in some ways it is even more primal and powerful than the written word. At its worst, theater will merely bore; while at its best it will not only entertain but move and shape its audience. Two such genres of theater, or drama, have consistently achieved this effect. Tragedy, represented by the weeping actors’ mask, usually features the title character’s fall from greatness to ruin, guided by the gods or fate. Oedipus Rex, written by Sophocles, is the epitome of classic Tragedy, as defined by Aristotle (96-101). Here, Oedipus falls from kingship to blindness and exile. Drama’s other great genre, Comedy, is represented by the laughing actors’ mask. In Comedy the action is usually propelled by a problem or crisis of some sorts, but unlike tragedy it usually ends well. Lysistrata, written by Aristophanes, is a perfect example of classic Comedy. The farcical story line follows the title character, who rallies the women of Greece to withhold sex from their mates all in the good cause of ending war. At first glance these two genres would seem to have nothing in common with each other. Comedy entails laughter and good feelings while the audience will leave a Tragedy in tears. But the best of Comedy and the best of Tragedy will produce the same affect: catharsis. Catharsis is the purgation and purifying of the emotions, specifically fear or pity. (“Catharsis”) The plays that manage to produce catharsis in their audience are the ones that we return to time and time again. Although catharsis is one of the main objectives of Greek Tragedy (Jacobus 34), Comedy done well will shape and move its audience in the same way. These two classic genres use characters that are co...
In Aristotle’s book, Poetics, he defines tragedy as, “an imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and possessing magnitude; in embellished language, each kind of which is used separately in the different parts; in the mode of action and not narrated; and effecting through pity and fear” (Aristotle 1149). Tragedy creates a cause and effect chain of actions that clearly gives the audience ideas of possible events. The six parts to Aristotle’s elements of tragedy are: Plot, character, language, thought, spectacle, and melody. According to Aristotle, the most important element is the plot. Aristotle writes in Poetics that, “It is not for the purpose of presenting their characters that the agents engage in action, but rather it is for the sake of their actions that they take on the characters they have” (Aristotle 1150). Plots should have a beginning, middle, and end that have a unity of actions throughout the play making it complete. In addition, the plot should be complex making it an effective tragedy. The second most important element is character. Characters...
In Poetics, Aristotle defines plot as “the arrangement of the incidents” (Aristotle 12). He indicates that there are six elements in every tragic play, which are plot, character, thought, diction, melody and spectacle, among these plot is placed in the foremost positi...