Greek Tragedy In Aristotle's Oedipus Rex

Greek tragedy is most definitely defined as a tragedy, because of the common knowledge that everyone dies at the end. However, the question between artists and fellow art appreciators is what defines a tragedy? At the Academy Awards how is it possible to pick one film over all of the others? Aristotle answered this question back in his lifetime of 384-322 B.C. Aristotle’s opinion of a true Tragedy is still effective to this day. His favorite play, and best example of a tragedy, is Oedipus Rex, this Greek tragedy has all the aspects that Aristotle considers to contain the greatest playwright in history. Modern day films are not the same as the Greek tragedies Aristotle studied, but they do have many of the same aspects. The three main things …show more content…
This move was presented well enough for audience members to be overly involved through their emotions. The interesting thing about this movie is that it is not just the protagonist the audiences experiences catharsis for, but there are in fact several other characters help encourage this process. Fear is experienced as Skeeter is walking through the black neighbor hoods at night, and is being integrated by Minny, and when Aibileen is being confronted by Miss Leefolt, and when Minny is being attacked by her abusive husband. The audience starts to consider how they would act in their shoes, and through this thought process the audience gets into the fear displayed through the acting. Octavia Spencer, the actress who played Minny Jackson, even won an Oscar for best performance by an Actress in a supporting role for her phenomenal job as Minny Jackson. The pity is experienced towards the end of the movie as the results of the book start to unravel. I guess it 's gonna be me. Just like the pity that is felt towards Oedipus and his decisions, this is the same way that the pity is felt towards Skeeter