Tragic plots were most often based upon myths from the oral traditions of archaic epics. Just from $13,9/Page Get custom paper. In tragic theatre, however, these n Along with democratization of the political sphere, modern writers of tragedies have turned their gaze on the plight of the common man. It does not have to be a bad quality. The important thing about the plot is not what the characters feel but what they do. Tragedy definition, a lamentable, dreadful, or fatal event or affair; calamity; disaster: stunned by the tragedy of so many deaths. What Are Dramatic Techniques in Literature? This fall from a high status to the lowest is essential to the tragedy, since it makes the suffering all the more distressing. They do not trouble the writer of tragedies because they are the byproduct of the action in the story.

Greek tragedy is a form of theatre from Ancient Greece and Anatolia. But a story of a soldier killed in a war despite her heroic effort to end the war can be tragic, if it includes other elements of a tragedy. Greek tragedy is widely believed to be an extension of the ancient rites carried out in honor of Dionysus, and it heavily influenced the theatre of Ancient Rome and the Renaissance. However, Shakespeare's plays often overlap in style and there is debate over which plays should be classified as tragedy, comedy, and history. It reached its most significant form in Athens in the 5th century BC, the works of which are sometimes called Attic tragedy.

Aristotle called this purification of the soul catharsis.

According to Aristotle's "Poetics," the plot must contain three basic elements: a unity of plot, peripety and discovery. He has written research reports for the UN Development Programme and the "Kathmandu Post." The Similarities Between Tragedy & Comedy, The Difference Between a Classical & a Modern Tragedy in Literature, University of Idaho: Tragedy as Catharsis, Grand Valley State University: Tragedy - The Basics. Peripety means a reversal of fortune by the end of the story, and discovery means the main character gains a new understanding of her situation, something she didn't know before. Aristotle stipulated that the tragic hero should be of noble birth, a man who is essentially good but makes a great mistake that leads to his downfall. It is responsible for foolish or unfortunate --- generally bad --- actions, which in turn arouse tragic emotions of pity and terror.


Gaunle is working on a book of short stories and a novel. In the play Romeo and Juliet, Romeo is the tragic hero.

The main character commits a mistake either consciously, such as Othello, or unconsciously, such as Oedipus. Most people mistakenly associate tragedy with sadness or pessimism. A tragedy goes beyond emotions to reach pathos --- an identification with the character's worldview, and to suffer, in vicarious ways, like she suffers. He holds a Master of Arts in international political economy and development from Fordham University. While many cultures have developed forms that provoke this paradoxical response, the term tragedy often refers to a specific tradition of drama that has played a unique and important role historically in the self-definition of Western civilization. See more. What makes a story tragic is not only what kind emotion it incites in the reader's heart.

Although the word tragedy is often used loosely to describe any sort of disaster or misfortune, it more precisely refers to a work of art that probes with high seriousness questions concerning the role of man in the universe. What makes a story tragic is not only what kind emotion it incites in the reader's heart. For Miller, a story becomes tragic when the common man, to gain his dignity, fights against his world and circumstances, despite all odds against him, and loses. A good quality taken to extreme, such as pride, can count as a tragic flaw. For example, "Much Ado About Nothing" is normally classified as a comedy but follows many of the tragic conventions.
Although Aristotle's "Poetics" still remains the starting point in discussions about tragedy, this art form has evolved over the millennia. Contrary to Aristotle, Nietzsche claimed that cathartic experiences prove we can celebrate life even in --- not despite --- great suffering. Copyright 2020 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Education. The theme of tragedy plays a great role in the play Romeo and Juliet. For a play to be a tragedy, there must be a tragic hero. He started writing professionally in 2006. A tragedy goes beyond emotions to reach pathos --- an identification with the character's worldview, and …

Unity of plot means all action must be relevant, probable and believable.

"The commonest of man take that stature," wrote Arthur Miller, speaking of the tragic stature that was once attached only to the royal or the noble-born. Nobody knows for certain why tragedies are cathartic, although psychologists claim that by showing us that terror can be overcome, it prevents the subconscious from developing neurosis. Tragedy is a form of drama based on human suffering that invokes an accompanying catharsis or pleasure in audiences. In all, Shakespeare wrote 10 tragedies. That tradition has been multiple and discontinuous, yet the term has often been used to invoke a powerful effect of cultural identity

Kiran Gaunle is a freelancer based in New York. Get Your Custom Essay on “Romeo and Juliet” Elements which makes Tragedy. The tragic flaw is a trait in the main character in the story that leads to her destruction. But by the end of the story, the reader is purged of the negative emotions and feels rejuvenated. For example, a story of a soldier killed in a war is sad, not tragic.

Most people mistakenly associate tragedy with sadness or pessimism. Feelings are secondary. An essential quality of a tragedy is that it arouses emotions of terror and pity.