reflect, since most focuses on society and human behaviors. In order to initiate and fulfill the “action” in a play and draw out the intended emotions, as Aristotle says in Poetics, a classic tragedy has six main elements: plot, character, diction, thought, spectacle, and song.Sophocles, who wrote the great tragedy of Oedipus Rex, develops his plot and character in order to convey to the audience a message about the inevitability of fate in the lives of mortals. Oedipus 's morally upstanding…
Tragedies or Lessons Learned? Tragedies occur throughout many lives, but only the major ones stand out to the world. A tragedy is usually considered a despair, but in my seventeen years of living, I have discovered a tragedy is only a tragedy if allowed. I think of tragedies as lessons learned, not because they are not difficult, but because they teach me and have made me who I am. The world wide events that have molded me into the person I am today are Hurricane Katrina, by making me more…
categories: tragedies or comedies. Arthur Miller’s The Crucible is most definitely an accurate representation of the true meaning of a tragedy. The Crucible is an example of a tragedy of classic proportions. Aristotle’s definition of tragedy is an imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude. According to Aristotle, a tragedy must be in the form of action, not of narrative and must have incidents arousing pity and fear. Therefore, every tragedy must have…
Tragedy is an unescapable abyss that not only haunts heroes, but also the common man. In the play “Oedipus the King”, Sophocles tells the story of Oedipus, who strives to defy his prophecy, to ultimately show that fate is predestined and cannot be avoided. Upon hearing his destiny, he ignorantly puts the foretelling aside and suffers from dramatic irony as well as elements of astonishment and great change throughout the play. Thus, “Oedipus the King” is a prime example of a tragedy with the…
first, the only type of shows that were performed were tragedies, then soon in 487 BCE,…
that could have turned the final act into the ending of Othello. The other play, Richard III, is considered a history because it pertains to a former English king’s rule and death, but it could have been categorized as simply a drama or perhaps a tragedy due to Richard’s death. Despite the overlap in genres, Much Ado About Nothing comes the closest to the contemporary definition of…
can be brought to an end. Immediately after the entry of the Chorus, Oedipus makes a proclamation before the gathered Thebans about the punishment to be given to the murderer of Laius,on whom he pronounces a curse also. "I pray that that man's life be consumed in evil and wretchness. As for me, this curse applies no less"…
When he was young he worked at a vineyard, until, according to some, the Greek god Dionysus appeared to him in a dream, saying that he should start writing tragedies. As soon he woke up he started writing his first tragedy, and his first performance was at 499BC when he was only 26 years of age. The Persian war played a big part in Aeschylus’ life. He and his friend Cynegeirus fought to defend Athens, though Cynegeirus died trying to prevent a Persian ship from leaving Athens. In 480BC he was…
The Tragedy of the Duchess: (A poetic critic of the film The Duchess according to Poetics by Aristotle) Aristotelian poetics captures deep insights into humans and our expression of deep emotions. As I watched The Duchess I was able to relate Aristotle’s definitions of tragedy to this film. The movie’s protagonist is Georgina. In the beginning of the movie she becomes engaged to the Duke of Devonshire. A very prestigious match, that allows Georgina to move up socially. This sets up the…
Although the word tragedy is an attribute commonly used to recount any events that cause misfortune and great suffering; it even more treats as an illustration to the series of the sorrowful and unfortunate events induced upon a heroic soul. It is a work of art that embodies the misfortunes of its subjects, within a stylized undertone of austere diction, and prompts the questions raised about the human identity and it’s battle between the forces of good and evil that it so easily succumbs.…