Tragedy : An Introduction

Tragedy: A serious and often somber drama, written in prose or verse, that typically ends in disaster and that focuses on a character who undergoes unexpected reversals

A Quick Definition

Tragedy and it’s origins

Created by the Greek Playwrights and Philosophers: Aristotle, Sophocles, Euripides and Aeschylus

At the root of tragedy is the dual recognition that humankind suffers terribly, but that suffering is without meaning.

What is the philosophy behind Greek Tragedy?

The Nature of Tragedy According to Aristotle’s

Poetics

The Meat and Potatoes of Tragedy It is an imitation of an action of high

importance, a single unified action that is serious, complete, probable, and of a serious magnitude

It concerns the fall of man whose character is good, lifelike, believable and consistent

The Tragic Figure Criteria

High Born

Important

Admirable Traits

How is the fall of the character caused? Hamartia is caused by

some error or frailty in the protagonist and not some vice or depravity.

If the character flaw is overwhelming pride then it is Hubris

More Characteristics of Tragedy

For the tragic hero there is a movement from happiness to victory

The language is embellished with artistic ornament

The tragedy is presented in the form of action, not narrative

It arouses in the audience the emotions of pity and terror resulting in the catharsis of these emotions

More on the Elements of TragedyA complex plot

Characters

Thought, Diction (metaphor)

Last Three (I mean four) things on

the Elements of Tragedy I Promise… Peripety: The change from one state to

it’s opposite Discovery: A change from ignorance to

knowledge Suffering: an action of a destructive,

painful theme… PS…Tragedy never provides a solution

that removes the conflicts of people. Humanity and life are seen as problems. Life is a riddle that can never be solved.

Clean up notes for homework and turn in tomorrow with your first Learning Log… A Business Letter or Memo to Mr. Tovar . Begin with “Although there a many interpretations of Tragedy, I believe Tragedy is….” (one page maximum, typed, Times New Roman, 12 Font in using the proper format).