Characteristics of Tragedy
- Aristotle defines tragedy according to 7 characteristics
>>Mimetic: copies life
> mime; mimics
>> It is serious
>> It tells a full story of appropriate length
> has beginning, middle, and end
>>It contains rhythm + harmony
> it flows
> story line goes together
>>rhythm and harmony occur in different combinations in different points of the tragedy
>> performed rather than narrated
>> it arouses feelings of pity and fear, then purges these feeling through catharsis
> Catharsis: emotional/spiritual cleansing
6 Components - Most important to least important
1. Plot
2. Character
3. Thought
4. Diction
5. Melody
6. Spectacle
Plot
- outcome must rely on tightly constructed cause and effect
-tragedy should NOT depend primarily or personality of protagonist
-most important according to Aristotle
- tragedies are "plot driven"
I. Beginning, Middle, and End
-Beginning must start the cause and effect chain and not depend on anything out side the realm of play
- Middle (climax) should be caused by earlier incidents and affect events yet to come
-End (resolution) should be caused by earlier events and not lead to any further incidents
II. Completeness and Unity of action
- self contained
- acts should not succeed one another w/out probable or necessary sequence
- coincidence should be avoided
- Info should be dramatized not reported
III. Magnitude
-tragedy should have a certain level of impact on audience
- it should be appropriately long and complex
- serious w/ universal significance
> Universal Significance: no matter who watches it, it is significant to any audience from anywhere and means something to them
IV. Simple or Complex
-if plot is simple:
>should focus on hero's downfall
-if plot is complex:
>should have both a reversal of intention and recognition
a. Reversal of Intention: what protagonist intended is not what happened
b. Recognition: protagonist will understand what lead to his downfall
Character
-should support plot
-protagonist should be of high social standing so that his fall is apparent
> if someone is already poor and doesn't have much, what is there really for him to lose..?
-fall should be the result of a flow in personality, not of vice
> you have to like the character to have pity and fear aroused
I. Hamartia
-Often translated as "tragic flaw"
> but it is argued whether it is closer to "mistake"
-Protagonist mistakenly brings own downfall
-Downfall ~ result of lack of knowledge, not because he/she is sinful or morally weak
II. Character Qualities
-good or fine
-true to type
-true to life
-consistency
-necessary or probable
-true to life yet more beautiful
Thought
-speeches should reveal character
> what character says has to reveal their thoughts because it is shown on a stage and the audience cant hear their thoughts
-a general attitude is expressed
-the themes of a play
Diction
-the "expression of the meaning of words"
-appropriate for the plot and characters
- Metaphors used
>"...it is the mark of genius, for to make good make metaphors implies an eye for resemblances."
Song or Melody
-Musical element of chorus
-still a piece of tragedy that reflects its origins
-should be carefully integrated almost like another actor/character
-choral odes should contribute to the plot
Spectacle
-the play itself, not special effects, should arouse pity and fear
-spectacle "create[s] a sense, not of the terrible but only of the monstrous
-least important
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