A Summary On Tragedy - 2914 Words

Hannah Fraser HC 223H Goldberg 03 June 2015 As a summary of the quarter’s work, write an essay that presents your answer to the question of the day, ‘Is tragedy (still) possible?’ Be specific in your definitions, and illustrate your points with examples drawn from class material and anything else you may find helpful. The Foundations of a Tragedy For centuries the only definition of tragedy available to critics was found through Aristotle’s Poetics. Rarely were the ideas of Aristotle challenged and his explanation of a tragic work established the format of tragedy. Aristotle was never questioned and thus his explanation of tragedy stood for centuries however, as literature develops the requirements of a tragedy have begun to change. In current tragedies not all tragic heroes suffer because of a specific tragic error, not all tragic plots contain scenes of recognition, and not all heroes are recognized individuals. Numerous types of dramas have developed over time that do not satisfy all of Aristotle’s requirements however are still considered tragedy. Modern tragedies do not satisfy all of the requirements of tragedy as described by Aristotle. However, they allow an audience to feel pain and closely connect to the characters. In modern times a tragic hero is no longer required to be a prestigious and elite character, but instead a relatable and common man such as Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman. It is rare to find a chorus in a modern tragedy, however in modern cinemaShow MoreRelatedTragedy Of The Commons Summary931 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Tragedy of the Commons† What is Garrett Hardin’s central idea in this article? The central idea of â€Å"The Tragedy of the Commons† is that, to ensure an acceptable, general quality of life, the human race must limit its population growth, ultimately through means of coercion. 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