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Greek Tragedy—Aristotle’s classical definition |
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Noble/Admirable Protagonist (usually male) |
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Catastrophe/Fall ending in death |
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Fate/Fortune |
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Greek Tragedy—Aristotle’s classical definition |
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Tragic Flaw—hamartia (character flaw), hubris
(pride) |
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Catharsis (emotional purging)—Fall evokes pity
and terror in audience |
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Roman Tragedy—Seneca |
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Revenge Tragedy |
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Tyranny/Revenge |
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Excessive Violence/Bloody Horror |
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Hierarchical |
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Existence followed a divinely ordained order |
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God |
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Angels |
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Spheres (stars/planets) |
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Man |
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Animals |
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Plants |
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Elements |
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King/Queen |
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Lords/Nobility |
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Knights |
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Gentry (landowners)/Artisans (skilled workers) |
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Merchants |
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Serfs (peasants) |
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Order is divinely ordained |
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Order is disrupted in tragedy |
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Internal forces—human weakness |
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External forces—fortune/bad luck |
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Order must be restored |
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Restorer of Order—authority figure |
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Mood—Earnestness |
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Theme |
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Illustrious/Serious |
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Life’s dark underside |
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Style |
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Elevated |
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Generally Verse |
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Type of Characters |
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Noble but flawed |
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Upper class |
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Character Motivation |
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Spiritual values |
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Feeling |
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Sincerity |
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Glorious/Failure |
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Spiritual Self-Realization |
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Setting—Usually remote in time and place |
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Plot |
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Strict Cause and Effect |
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“Tragic Destiny”/Fate |
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Inward Action (hero’s internal struggle) |
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Plot |
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Revolution of Fortune from High to Low
(Glorious/Failure) |
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Ends in death |
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Effect of Play on Audience |
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Affects emotions |
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Stirs/moves audience |
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Catharsis |
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Notes