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What Defines Tragedy? By d.j da. Where does tragedy come from? The Greek philosopher Aristotle first defined tragedy in his book Poetics written in about.

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Presentation on theme: "What Defines Tragedy? By d.j da. Where does tragedy come from? The Greek philosopher Aristotle first defined tragedy in his book Poetics written in about."— Presentation transcript:

1 What Defines Tragedy? By d.j da

2 Where does tragedy come from? The Greek philosopher Aristotle first defined tragedy in his book Poetics written in about 330 BC

3 Aristotle’s definition of tragedy had SIX parts: Plot Character Thought Diction Spectacle Melody

4 What Defines Shakespearean Tragedy? A Tragic Hero The Tragic Flaw- Hamartia Reversal of Fortune Catharsis Restoration of Social Order –Denouement

5 The Tragic Hero The tragic hero is someone we, as an audience, look up to— someone superior. The tragic hero is nearly perfect, and we identify with him/her

6 The Sullied Hero The sullied hero is initially not someone we, as an audience, look up to—someone who because of a flaw is considered inferior in some way. It is this fallibility that makes us identify with him/her

7 Tragic Flaw The tragic hero is nearly perfect- The hero has one flaw or weakness We call this the ‘tragic flaw’, ‘fatal flaw’, or hamartia.

8 Reversal of Fortune The ‘fatal flaw’ brings the hero down from his/her elevated state. Renaissance audiences were familiar with the ‘wheel of fortune’ or ‘fickle fate’. What goes up, must come down. The notion of Hubris--Hubris (also hybris) means extreme haughtiness or arrogance. Hubris often indicates a loss of touch with reality and overestimating one's own competence or capabilities, especially for people in positions of power.

9 Catharsis We get the word ‘catharsis’ from Aristotle’s katharsis. ‘Catharsis’ is the audience’s purging of emotions through pity and fear. The spectator is purged as a result of watching the hero fall.

10 This is why we cry during movies!

11 Restoration of Social Order Tragedies include a private and a public element The play cannot end until society is, once again, at peace.

12 The End Do Your Homework!


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