Aristotles poetics is chiefly concerned with tragedy. Aristotle defends the purgative power of tragedy and, in direct contradiction to plato, makes moral ambiguity the essence of tragedy. A general estimate of the comparative worth of epic poetry and tragedy. There is a sense of pleasure in suffering and sadness and the whole plot is governed by the aim to produce such. The greeks believed that tragedy was the highest form of drama, and aristotles ideas about tragedy were based on this belief.
Ambiguous means may be employed, aristotle maintains in contrast to plato, to a virtuous and purifying end. Aristotles definition of tragedy is best seen in the quote. Pdf this paper provides an overview and commentary of aristotles. Here, aristotle considers the first principles of poetry, which he defines mainly as drama in terms of this argument. Although shakespearean tragedies have been influenced by aristotles concepts of tragedy,some differences can be noted between the two. The order of unified plot, aristotle points out, is a continuous sequence of beginning, middle and end. Interestingly, we can only feel so much for these characters because of another attribute of tragedy.
This chapter turns to aristotles discussion of tragedy and narrative in the poetics. See if you can find a condensed version you could try looking on t he internet for aristotles definition of tragedy or aristotles poetics. He has worked out the theory of tragedy with deep insight and comprehension. Othello further confirms aristotles definition of the tragic hero. Aristotles definition of a tragedy, combining seven elements that he believes make the genre of a. Imitation greek uiunous, mimesis is the attempt to capture the. According to the aristotelian view, tragedy represents a somber and serious reality that is complete in itself. Aristotles poetics is the earliestsurviving work of dramatic theory, and this work is a good source to examine aristotles views on tragedy. Macbeth as a tragedy according to aristotles definition. Following his definition, aristotle begins to introduce the six constitutive components of a tragedy.
Tragedy, then, is an imitation of an action that is serious and complete, and which has some greatness about it. Now let us proceed to aristotles definition of tragedy and its various aspects as given in poetics. The play has the perfect aristotelian tragic plot consisting of paripeteia, anagnorisis and catastrophe. Aristotles work on aesthetics consists of the poetics, politics bk viii and rhetoric. Aristotle calls plot the soul of tragedy, since it is the arrangements of incidents that justifies all the other elements of tragedy in its dramatization of action. Difference between aristotle and shakespearean tragedy comparison of features, characteristics and elements. In poetics, aristotle outlines what he sees as the essential components of tragedy, along with a few interesting literary devices that can be thrown in to spice things up. Aristotelian concept of plot aristotle defines plot as the soul of tragedy and gives much emphasis to it. It is set mainly in scotland, but briefly in england during the eleventh century. Critical essay aristotle on tragedy in the poetics, aristotles famous study of greek dramatic art, aristotle 384322 b. What is aristotles definition of a tragedy answers. It offers a simplified version of aristotles definition on one side, and asks students to answer several questions about a mode.
Pdf aristotles theory of tragedy margalit finkelberg academia. Tragedy depicts the downfall of a noble hero or heroine, usually through some combination of. Tragedy depicts the downfall of a noble hero or heroine, usually through some combination of hubris, fate, and the will of the gods. Poetics aristotle aristotles poetics aims to give an account of poetry. Poetry is any form of art which seeks to imitate life through words or the rhythm of words.
Although aristotles view of tragedy has been discussed many times in the scientific literature scholars have not arrived at any unity of opinion. The ancient greek philosopher aristotle used this term in a very influential treatise called the poetics. Presumably, this means that katharsis is a release of built up emotional energy, much like a good cry. Aristotle quite nicely terms this sort of recognition a change from ignorance to awareness of a bond of love or hate. In fact, he used examples from the works of famous greek playwrights such as sophocles to illustrate his main ideas. These legislations on literature went on to have a significant influence throughout the ages and, in fact, remained prevalent and often unquestioned until the 19th century. By the expression representation of an action aristotle means the representation of a plot for in. It is something, says he, that evokes pity, fear and emotion in us. It examines how the public, performed aspect of tragedy and witnessing tragedy as a political community are significant for the body politic. This makes othello human, displaying his faults despite his overall good nature. Aristotles poetics the science of tragedy classical.
After katharsis, we reach a more stable and neutral emotional state. This view tends to give the flaw an ethical definition but relates it only to the. What is aristotles definition of tragedy explained in his. Aristotle does this by attempting to explai n poetry through first principles, and by classifying poetry into it s different genres and component parts. Tragic hero as defined by aristotle bainbridge high school. Poetics isa crucial resource in understanding how tragedy brings to light a sense of human dwelling in a manner more primordial than the scientific discourse of his treatises on ethics mcneill 2000, p. The greek believed that tragedy was the high form of drama and aristotles ideas about tragedy were based on his belief. Aristotles concept of tragedy literary theory and criticism.
It is said to have unity of action to be an artistic whole. This also introduces pity, which is crucial in tragedy, as if the hero. Generally, it incorporates powerful episodes of suffering, losses etc. Aristotles definition of tragedy and tragic hero in. Definition of tragedy from the poetics of aristotle 384322 bc tragedy, then, is a process of imitating an action which has serious implications, is complete, and. According to aristotle, who gave in the poetics a normative definition of tragedy, illustrated by the greek plays, with sophocless oedipus rex as the best example, the purpose of a tragedy is to arouse pity and fear and thus to produce in the audience a catharsis of these emotions. Aristotle on tragedy in the poetics, aristotles famous study of greek dramatic art, aristotle 384322 b.
In the context of tragedy, aristotle uses it to talk about a purgation or purification of emotions. This worksheet makes a great inclass assignment to spark discussion about aristotles definition of a tragedy, or it can be used as a homework assignment for prereading. The main difference between aristotle and shakespearean tragedy is the unity of plot. At some point, aristotles original work was divided in two, each book written on a separate roll of papyrus. The classical definition of drama drama is an ancient greek word meaning act or deed.
A tragic hero is a literary character who makes a judgment error that inevitably leads to hisher own destruction. Aristotelian tragedy consists of a single central plot where as. In this text, aristotle classified different forms of poetry according to basic features he thought could be commonly recognised in their composition. The tragic hero must be neither a villain nor a virtuous man but a character between these two extremes,a man who is not eminently read more. Macbeth as a tragedy according to aristotles definition while the genre of some works of literature can be debated, macbeth written by william shakespeare seems to fit into a perfect mold.
Critical objections brought against poetry, and the principles on which they are to be answered. Definition of tragedy from the poetics of aristotle 384322 bc tragedy, then, is a process of imitating an action which has serious implications, is. Tragedy, then, is an imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude. Aristotle presents the element of tragedy as more then the textbook definition. Aristotles definition of tragedy is best seen in the quote tragedy, then, is an imitation of an action that is serious and complete, and which has some greatness about it. While many cultures have developed forms that provoke this paradoxical response, the term tragedy often refers to a specific tradition of drama that has played a unique and important role historically in the selfdefinition of. The ample examples or citations that aristotle uses in his text from the tragedies of sophocles, aeschylus and euripides, make the idea clear that his theory of this literary genre comes from his extensive reading of their tragedies, and the ideas are mere generalizations of the. One such standard is the aristotelian definition of tragedy and the tragic hero. According to aristotle tragedy is a representation of an action that is worth serious attention, complete in itself, and of some amplitude. Aristotles definition of tragedy is a noteworthy attempt at analysing the features of a literary genre taking into account the system of literature as a whole, which includes other genres which.
An aristotelian tragic hero must possess specific characteristics, five of which are below2. He determines that tragedy, like all poetry, is a kind of imitation mi. Outline of aristotles theory of tragedy in the poetics definition of tragedy. It displays all eight aspects of aristotles definition of tragedy.
Difference between the tragedy of aristotle and shakespeare. Difference between aristotle and shakespearean tragedy. The tragedy is thus included over the top and stimulating language to produce emotional reactions. Aristotles poetics the classic discussion of greek tragedy is aristotles poetics. Components of tragedy in aristotles poetics aristotles theory of tragedy is completely based on induction. He defines tragedy as the imitation of an action that is serious and also as having magnitude, complete in itself. He determines that tragedy, like all poetry, is a kind of imitation mimesis, but adds that it has a serious purpose and uses direct action rather than narrative to achieve its ends. Definition of the ludicrous, and a brief sketch of the rise of. He continu es, traged y is a form of drama exciting the emotions of p ity and fear. The centerpiece of aristotles work is his examination of tragedy. The first in the discussion is spectacle, which includes the costuming of the actors, the scenery, and all other aspects that contribute to the visual experience of the play. He defines trag edy as the im itation o f an action that is serious and also as hav ing magnitude, complete in itself. He defines tragedy as being an imitation of an action that is a whole and complete in itself and of a certain extent.
The origins of thinking and theorizing about drama, and the foundation of dramatic storytelling, can be attributed to the greek philosopher, aristotle, writing in the fourth century bce, in his classic book, the poetics. Excepting the famous concepts of unit of time or length of tragedy and characters flaw or hamartia, probably theres not other concept or part in aristotles poetics as puzzling and celebrated as the famous definition of tragedy. Aristotle once said that a man doesnt become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall. William shakespeares the tragedy of macbeth is a perfect mold of an aristotelian tragedy. He continues, tragedy is a form of drama exciting the emotions of pity and fear. In the poetics, aristotles famous study of greek dramatic art, aristotle 384322 b. As the great period of athenian drama drew to an end at the beginning of the 4th century bce, athenian philosophers began to analyze its content and formulate its structure. Aristotle says that the epic and tragedy are the outcome of the imitations of the noble actions and good men. Only the first part that which focuses on tragedy and epic as a quasidramatic art, given its definition in ch 23. Aristotles definition of tragedy is a noteworthy attempt at analysing the.
This is my presentation on aristotles definition of tragedy. Tragedy, says aristotle, is an imitation mimesis of an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitudethrough pity and fear effecting the proper purgation catharsis of these emotions. One political function of tragedy is to enable a community to become more responsive to the vulnerable in their own midst. Not only does othello represent a hero as a general of an army, he is the main character of the play and his only fault is his deception by iago. The tragic heros powerful wish to achieve some goal inevitably encounters limits, usually those of human frailty flaws in reason, hubris, society, the gods through. Aristotelian tragedy and shakespearean tragedy are two of the most important forms of tragedies. The classic discussion of greek tragedy is aristotles poetics.
Aristotles definition of tragedy, six parts of tragedy. Oedipus the king by sophocles works cited not included oedipus the king is an excellent example of aristotles theory of tragedy. Tragedy, katharsis, and community in aristotles poetics. Aristotles poetics the classic discussion of greek tragedy is aristotle s poetics.
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