Tragedy
Tragedy is an imitation of an action that is serious, complete and of a certain magnitude." (Aristotle). Examine the statement critically and substantiate your answer with the examples from any two of the plays you have read."
‘The Poetics
The Poetics is chiefly concerned with Tragedy which is regarded as the highest poetic form. In it the theory of tragedy is worked out so admirably, with such insight and comprehension, that ‘it becomes the type of the theory of literature’ (Abercrombie). Aristotle in his Poetics studies the tragedy in detail, giving its definition, and analysing its various constituents and elements.
Aristotle defines tragedy as “the imitation of an action, serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude, in a language beautiful in different parts with different kinds of embelishments, through action and not narration, and through scenes of pity and fear bringing about the ‘Catharsis’ of these or such like emotions.” Thus in a tragedy we have the object imitated namely ‘action’. The medium of imitation is ‘language made beautiful by different means’. Themanner of imitation is direct presentation. The purpose of imitation is to bring about the ‘purgation’ of emotions like pity and fear.
The definition is comprehensive enough. It includes stage-presentation which refers to costume and setting. It does not leave out music and diction which form the medium for these presentations of action. The manner is indicated by the spectacle; and the objects of imitation are the other three—moral bent, thought and plot.
Constituent parts of Tragedy
Having examined the definition, nature and function of Tragedy, Aristotle comes to a consideration of its formative or constituent parts. He enumerates its formative elements as Plot, Character, Diction, Thought, Spectacle and Song. Plot, Character and Thought are concerned with the objects of representation. Diction and Song (Melody) have to do with the means of representation; and spectacle relates to the
‘The Poetics
The Poetics is chiefly concerned with Tragedy which is regarded as the highest poetic form. In it the theory of tragedy is worked out so admirably, with such insight and comprehension, that ‘it becomes the type of the theory of literature’ (Abercrombie). Aristotle in his Poetics studies the tragedy in detail, giving its definition, and analysing its various constituents and elements.
Aristotle defines tragedy as “the imitation of an action, serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude, in a language beautiful in different parts with different kinds of embelishments, through action and not narration, and through scenes of pity and fear bringing about the ‘Catharsis’ of these or such like emotions.” Thus in a tragedy we have the object imitated namely ‘action’. The medium of imitation is ‘language made beautiful by different means’. Themanner of imitation is direct presentation. The purpose of imitation is to bring about the ‘purgation’ of emotions like pity and fear.
The definition is comprehensive enough. It includes stage-presentation which refers to costume and setting. It does not leave out music and diction which form the medium for these presentations of action. The manner is indicated by the spectacle; and the objects of imitation are the other three—moral bent, thought and plot.
Constituent parts of Tragedy
Having examined the definition, nature and function of Tragedy, Aristotle comes to a consideration of its formative or constituent parts. He enumerates its formative elements as Plot, Character, Diction, Thought, Spectacle and Song. Plot, Character and Thought are concerned with the objects of representation. Diction and Song (Melody) have to do with the means of representation; and spectacle relates to the