Aristotle’s Poetics : Tragedy

Aristotle (384-322 B.C.E) Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and educator. He had many students who would follow his philosophy and openly debate and discuss his teachings. Poetics is one of his most famous texts. Poetics was an essay he wrote 50 years after the death of Sophocles, who he said wrote the perfect tragedy with Oedipus the King. This essay documents the art of Greek plays as being two-fold, comic and tragic. In this document, he outlines the breakdown of comedy and tragedy, and explains the necessary elements found in each type of play.

Tragedy: Aristotle’s Definition “Tragedy, then, is an imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude; in language embellished with each kind of artistic ornament, the several kinds being found in separate parts of the play; in the form of action not of narrative; with incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish its katharsis of such emotions…Every Tragedy, therefore, must have six parts, which parts determine its quality-namely, Plot, Characters, Diction, Thought, Song/Melody, Spectacle.”

Tragedy: Simplified It is an imitation of an action The medium of tragedy is drama, not narrative According to Aristotle, tragedy is higher and more philosophical than history because history simply relates what has happened while tragedy dramatizes what may happen Tragedy is rooted in the fundamental order of the universe; it creates a cause-and-effect chain that clearly reveals what may happen at anytime or place because that is the way the world operates. Tragedy, therefore, arouses not only pity, but also fear because the audience can envision itself within this cause-and-effect chain.

Six Parts of Tragedy: Plot Most important; defined as “the arrangement of the incidents” (structure of the play) Plot must have an incentive moment, a climax, and a resolution. Must have unity of action; must be structurally self-contained, with the incidents bound together by internal necessity Must be of a certain complexity and universal significance.

Six Parts of Tragedy: Character Personal motivations will be intricately connected parts of the cause-and-effect chain of actions producing pity and fear in the audience. The protagonist should be renowned and prosperous, so his change of fortune can be from good to bad. This change “should come about as the result, not of vice, but of some great error or frailty in a character.” This is known as the characters hamartia, or tragic flaw. In the ideal tragedy, claims Aristotle, the protagonist will mistakenly bring about his own downfall-not because he is sinful or morally weak, but because he does not know enough or has hubris. Hubris means extreme or supreme pride.

Character continued… Capacity for suffering (Character believes in what he is doing. Justifies his actions, yet, is not convinced they are just. Questions the forces within and without him that drive him to the actions that destroy him.) Transfiguration and impact (Tragedy refines. He begins to see his place in the universe and learns. As he learns, so do the other characters and the audience. This is the protagonist’s epiphany, a life changing realization.

Character continued… Characters in tragedy should have the following qualities: “good or fine” “fitness of character” (true to type) “true to life” (realistic) “consistency” (true to themselves) “necessary or probable” (Characters must be logically constructed according to “the law of probability or necessity” that governs the actions of the play. “true to life and yet more beautiful” (idealized, ennobled)

Six Parts of Tragedy: Thought Speeches should reveal the character(s) Thought is found “where something is proved to be or not to be, or a general maxim is enunciated.” A maxim is words or a slogan by which to live. Example: Do unto others as you would have done to you.

Six Parts of Tragedy: Diction “the expression of the meaning of words.” Proper and appropriate to the plot, characters, and end of the tragedy.

Six Parts of Tragedy: Song/Melody Chorus should be fully integrated into the play like an actor. Should contribute to the unity of the plot.

Six Parts of the Tragedy: Spectacle “the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than of that of the poet.” Should rely on the inner structure of the play rather than spectacle to arouse the audience’s pity or fear (catharsis).

Catharsis (katharsis) Purgation or cleansing the audience experiences in the release of the tragic emotions of pity and fear.

Aristotle’s Tragedy: Simplified to an equation A play can be considered a tragedy, according to Aristotle, if the play contains the following elements. Tragic Hero (person of greatness) + Hamartia ( tragic flaw: Hubris-excessive pride/Ignorance) + Epiphany (realization of the tragic hero and his flaw) + downfall (experienced by the tragic hero; fall from good to bad) + catharsis (release of pity and fear experienced by the audience) _______________ Tragedy