Tragedy

Tragedy

1. Aristotle's 'rules' for tragedy

   • Unity of time, place and action
     • Each play deals with an action in one location within one day
     • Minimal subplots
     • Presents the most vital moment (just before the climax) and presents it to the audience
   • Ob Skene action
     • All violence occurred ob skene
       • off stage
     • playwrights were concerned with the human consequences of the events rather than depicting violence for cheap thrills
   • Simplicity
     • No subplots
       • Subplots distracted from the importance of the main issues
     • Everything was drawn towards the one 'fall'
   • Catharsis
     • The emotional effect of purging the audience through their experience of watching the play
   • Character of the hero/ine
     • Hero had to be an important person
       • e.g. King or Queen
       • Make their inevitable downfall even greater
   • Hamartia/Hubris
     • Hamartia
       • an error of judgement
         • led to their fall from greatness
     • Hubris
       • Most common form of hamartia
       • the arrogance that could lead a person to disregard a divine warning or violate an important moral law
   • Anagnorisis/Peripeteia
     • Anagnorisis
       • The disclosure/discovery of a previously unknown fact
     • Peripeteia
       • A sudden reversal of events

2. Revenge Tragedy

   • Corruption
   • Madness
     • political and personal instabliity
   • Women
   • Malcontents
     • outsiders