Oracle Book Club

The Truth behind Tragedies

When we learnt tragedies in Literature (Hamlet, Macbeth etc), we were asked to refer to the original commentaries on tragedy by Aristotle. According to Aristotle's Poetics, it is an art form that corresponds deeply with human life. http://www.cnr.edu/home/bmcmanus/poetics.html. To undergo a reversal (peripeteia), a character had to go through a complex plot (change of situation/fortunes) and achieve two phases: catharsis (cleansing) and anagnorisis (self-discovery or realization). Usually a tragic character starts out with a major flaw (eg: harmatia or pride) and then goes through the process of being cleansed of his flaw and achieves a degree of realization. That pattern arouses not only sympathy in us, but also admiration (every tragic hero is larger than life and a towering personality). In his magnified flaws, we see our own flaws. When he goes through the painful process of cleansing, we also identify with the terrors and horrors that he faces. According to all tragic critics, this is also supposed to bring about a catharsis in us (the audience). Finally, we share his revelations as much as we share his flaws and pain.
However this is theory.... to really experience why tragedy as an art form holds our attention, I recommend seeing Hamlet the movie starring Sir Lawrence Olivier (it's spectacular) and possibly seeing the drama version of Macbeth, Mayor of Casterbridge, King Lear or other greats. If well acted, they are really moving. I was spellbound when I saw Oedipus the play (in English) - it was unforgettable.....
Comedy is another art form which is quite deep, though it seems whimsical - does anyone want to discuss that?

posted by pratima @ 5:21 PM