Transcript Aristotle on Tragedy - Northshore School District / Homepage

Aristotle on Tragedy
Aristotle’s Definition of Tragedy
“Tragedy is an imitation of an action that is
serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude;
in language embellished with each kind of
artistic ornament. . . in the form of action, not
of narrative; with incidents arousing pity and
fear, wherewith to accomplish its katharsis of
such emotions.” Aristotle
Tragedy must be about a
Serious Subject

The stuff of tragedy must be serious – must be
something monumental such as the
assissnation of a President which significantly
alters all our lives; it must have profound
consequences involving people whose fate
affects many beyond themselves; it is a public
event rather than a private event.
Tragedy must have a Tragic Figure

The Tragic Figure



Must excite pity and fear – one who is neither evil
nor extremely virtuous; misfortune for the Tragic
Figure is brought about not by vice or depravity,
but by some error or frailty – his Tragic Flaw.
Be of High Stature
Be extraordinary, not typical
The Tragic Figure must have a
Tragic Flaw



Some error or frailty which brings about the
Tragic Figure’s misfortune
Might be: ambition, pride, rashness, passion
External circumstances can also contribute to
the downfall
Tragedy must have an Effective Plot

Plot must be:






Complete & Complex with a beginning, middle, & end
Events must lead naturally to what follows and point
toward the end
End must follow naturally from what has gone before and
conclude the action
Complex – moves in various directions by means of
reversal and recognition
Reversal – accuser becomes the accused & the prosecuter
becomes the defendant
Recognition – change from ignorance to knowledge;
increases the tragic effect of the drama
Tragedy must have a “Certain
Magnitude”


Action in a tragedy must have magnitude
Must be a convincing chain of events that
change a situation from good to bad fortune
Tragedy must have “Embellished
Language”

Aristotle says tragedy should be expressed in
poetry – the highest form of expression in
Aristotle’s time
Tragedy must take “the form of
action, not of narrative”


Aristotle believes the lines should be acted, not
simply read or told
Audience must see the drama unfold before
them
Tragedy must “Evoke Pity & Fear”



Tragedy makes the audience fear that such
events could happen to them
Tragedy makes the audience feel pity for the
Tragic Figure
Audience feels pity in part because the Tragic
Figure accepts his/her fate
Tragedy must evoke “Catharsis”




Catharsis is the process of purging the audience’s pity
and fear
Catharsis allows the audience to leave uplifted
because their emotions have been expended in the
theater and they are purged for the time being
The Tragic Figure’s acceptance of his/her fate is an
affirmation of human values
The audience receives solace through the insight
provided by the Tragic Figure’s suffering
Tragedy includes Dramatic Irony

Dramatic Irony occurs when the audience
knows things that the characters on stage do
not; therefore, the audience has insight and can
interpret actions and information differently
than the characters.