A Tragedy Makes A Hero Essay - 1019 Words

A Tragedy Makes A Hero Show me a hero and I will write you a tragedy. A tragedy can be described and executed in many ways, whether it is through cinema, television or a play for theatre, as long as it has a solemn kind of ending. It is characterized as a very sad event, action, or experience for a certain character in the piece. According to Aristotle’s â€Å"Poetics,† a tragedy needs six elements, a plot, character, language, thought, spectacle, and melody, as in many dramas do, but the organization of the plot is how tragedy is brought about. (747) The plot – is the end for which a tragedy exists, and the end or purpose is the most important thing of all. (748) Tragedy often reveals a very basic message; whether or†¦show more content†¦Here we see Medea as the protagonist of the play. However â€Å"Medea† as a play lacks self-conscious recognition of error by its characters. Nobody in the play dwells on their actions or the happenings around them. Like Jason, he never acknowledges his responsibility for the suffering he has created. Euripides’ insight that victims of an intense emotional wound not only turns against those who inflict it, but against their entire world of emotional connections, which is expressed in Medea’s opening lines, â€Å"May it be an enemy and not a friend she hurts!† (line 95) â€Å"What should be wept for bitterly. I hate you, children of a hateful mother. I curse you And your father. Let the whole house crash.† (lines 111-114) Aristotle and other commentators often criticized Euripides for having abandoned authentic tragedy in favor of grotesque melodrama. But tragedy is more felt than fitting inside a rule of thumb. â€Å"This world is a comedy for those who think and a tragedy for those who feel.† (Horace Walpole) Because Medea lost so much, her children and husband, â€Å"Medea† is considered a tragedy, along with Jason’s lost. And the future fate of Jason or of Medea at the end, where the chorus mentions by affirming that the gods work mysteriously and often bring event to a surprising end, gives another sense of unfinished business for one of the two if notShow MoreRelatedThe Differences Between Comedy and Tragedy996 Words   |  4 PagesThe Differences Between Comedy and Tragedy â€Å"Comedy is tragedy plus time.† – Lester in Crimes and Misdemeanors (Rayner Online). â€Å"Satire is tragedy plus time. You give it enough time the public the reviewers will allow you to satire it. Which is rather ridiculous when you think about it.† – Lenny Bruce (Rayner Online). â€Å"Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall into a sewer and die.† – Mel Brooks in 2000 Year Old Man (Rayner Online). There are many people who share the opinionsRead MoreEssay The Tragedy of Othello1292 Words   |  6 PagesWilliam Shakespeare masterfully crafted Othello, the Moor of Venice as an Aristotelian tragedy play. The main protagonist of the play, Othello, is the perfect example of a tragic hero. Shakespeare was influenced by Aristotle’s concept of a tragic hero and used Aristotle’s principles to create Othello. William Shakespeare attempted to create an Aristotelian tragedy play with a tragic hero and succeeded in Othello, the Moor of Venice by weaving in pity and fear into each line and action. The powerRead MoreShakespeare s Othello As A Tragic Hero1517 Words   |  7 PagesShakespeare’s play, Othello, as a tragedy? Aristotle is a famous Greek philosopher who defines Shakespeare’s character, Othello, as a tragic hero. Many parts in Othello tell the readers that the play is a tragedy, such as jealousy, arguing, and death, which makes the play famous a nd delightful to read. Aristotle has identified many common traits or characteristics that a tragic hero requires. In Shakespeare s play, Aristotle defines many features that cause the characters to make unwise decisions. FullRead MoreOedipus And Aristotle s Definition Of A Tragic Hero1466 Words   |  6 PagesSophocles’ Oedipus exemplifies or refutes Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero. Thesis Statement: Oedipus is the personification of Aristotle’s characterization of a tragic hero through his ability to maintain and keep his virtue and wisdom, despite his shortcomings and situation in life. Introduction I. Tragic Hero A. Definition of a tragic hero B. Oedipus’ Character II. Tragedy A. Language of Tragedy B. Tragedy and its affects on audience III. Plot A. Aristotle’s idea of a tragic plotRead More Tragedy In Drama Essay1713 Words   |  7 Pages Tragedy and Drama In a range of dramatic works from Agamemnon to Hamlet, one sees the range of development of the tragic form, from the earliest Greek to the later Shakespearean tragedies. There are two basic concepts of tragedy: the concept introduced by Aristotle in his Poetics, and the concept developed by Frederick Nietzsche in his quot;The Birth of Tragedy.quot; Many dramas can be reviewed to reveal the contrast between these two concepts of tragedy, and demonstrate the development of theRead MoreEssay on Can Willy Loman Be Considered A Tragic Hero?1632 Words   |  7 PagesCan Willy Loman Be Considered A Tragic Hero? Whether Willy Loman can be considered a tragic hero has long been debated between critics. Ever since Miller produced the play, people have discussed whether Willy’s status was high enough for his fall to be considered tragic, or whether Willy can be seen as an altogether modern tragic hero, I will be looking at both these views taking into consideration critics views and also adding my own thoughts. Tragedy has its origin in ancient Greece. InRead MoreOedipus : The King Of Thebes And Tragic Hero Essay728 Words   |  3 PagesThebes and Tragic Hero Ancient Greek Literature encompasses an assortment of poetry and drama to include the great masterpieces of tragedy. In Classic Literature, tragedies were commonly known for their elaboration of a protagonist fitting the classification of a tragic hero. This type of a tragic hero often collectively described as a character of noble birth, facing an adversity of some nature and a fate of great suffering. The characteristics of what encompassed a tragic hero are most prominentlyRead MoreOthello: The Tragedy of an Aristotelian Tragic Hero Essay1531 Words   |  7 PagesShakespeares play, â€Å"Othello, the Moor of Venice,† is a powerful example of a tragedy and it’s main character, Othello, is an excellent illustration of what Aristotle constitutes as a tragic hero. The play imitates life through basic human emotions such as jealousy and rage. In addition, Othello is far from being a perfect character - another quality that meets Aristotles requirements. Othello also matc hes Aristotles ideas of tragic hero because our Othello realizes the error of his ways, causing us to feelRead MoreEssay on Oedipus: The Reign of a Tragic Hero1266 Words   |  6 Pagesmany characteristics that complete Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero; these being the presence of hamartia and peripeteia, a sense of self-awareness, the audience’s pity for the character, and the hero is of noble birth. Greek Tragedy Theater rose to its peak in Athens around the 5th century BCE. This history of the theater came from the citizens wanting to honor their gods with traditional stories, however, the tragedies were most often based off of early Greek mythology. These dramas wereRead MoreAristotelian Tragedy Macbeth Essays611 Words   |  3 PagesAristotelian Tragedy: Macbeth Aristotle is known widely for developing his ideas on tragedy. He recorded these ideas in his Poetics in which he comments on the plot, purpose, and effect that a true tragedy must have. The structure of these tragedies has been an example for many writers including Shakespeare himself. Many of Shakespeare’s plays follow Aristotelian ideas of tragedy, for instance Macbeth does a decent job in shadowing Aristotle’s model. Aristotle describes one of the most important