Literary Criticism Concept of tragedy and its constituent part.

Literary Criticism Concept of tragedy and its constituent part.

v Introduction:-

            Aristotle (384 BC – 322 BC) was a Greek philosopher and polymath, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. His writings cover many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology. Together with Plato and Socrates (Plato's teacher), Aristotle is one of the most important founding figures in Western philosophy. Aristotle's writings were the first to create a comprehensive system of Western philosophy, encompassing morality, aesthetics, logic, science, politics, and metaphysics. Cicero, a great Roman philosopher praises his literary style by calling it “A river of gold.  He was versatile genius who is known as “

“The father of Subsequent Literary criticism” or

 “The real Torch Bearer of Criticism”.

v ‘The poetic – an immense value in the literary criticism.

             Aristotle's Poetics is the earliest-surviving work of dramatic theory and the first extantphilosophical treatise to focus on literary theory. It is of an immense value in literary criticism. It has given birth to a number of literary interpretations. It has been a rich and thought-provoking work. In it his main purpose was to discuss poetry, especially, tragedy, comedy and epic poetry. He took tragedy as “the most representative form of art.”

            For him tragedy was a grand type amongst all arts. He therefore tries to advance a complete definition of tragedy or tragic drama.

vDefinition of Tragedy:-     

            The poetics is chiefly concerned with tragedy which is regarded as the highest poetic form. Abercrombie remarks that Aristotle has worked out the theory of tragedy which such insight and comprehension that it becomes the type of the theory of literature. Aristotle gives us a full length discussion of tragedy. This part of the poetic is more elaborate than any other part. It gives us detailed analysis of tragedy and its component  parts.

Aristotle’s definition of tragedy is as follows:-

“Tragedy, then, is an imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude; in language embellished with each kind of artistic ornament, the several kinds being found in separate parts of the play; in the form of action, not of narrative; with incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish its katharsis of such emotions.”

v Meaning:-

            This definition has two parts (1) The first part (the first three clauses) describes the nature of tragedy and distinguish it form other forms of poetry. (2) Second part is concerned with the function and the emotional effect of tragedy.

            According to Aristotle, tragedy is the representation of an action which is imitated. By action, he means a tale of suffering which excites the emotions of pity and fear in the audience. Aristotle states in the beginning that tragedy is am imitation of an action. Hence, action is objection of the tragedy. This action should be serious, not trivial or ludicrous as in the case of comedy. The word complete refer to the organic unity of the plot. i.e. it must have a beginning, middle and an end. The beginning is the further action flows out and when which is intelligible an itself and not consequent or dependent on any previous situation. The end is that which follows inevitable from had gone before, but which does not lead to further action. It marks the completion of the tragic action. The middle is that which follows inevitably upon, what ha gone before, and also leads on to an inevitable conclusion. Thus the action that tragedy imitates is its plot and it must always be accordance with the law of probability and necessity.

            Further Aristotle says that the action of a tragedy must be of a certain magnitude. ‘The word magnitude stands for its proper size or length. It should be neither too short not long. It should have a reasonable length mind of a spectator may comprehend the action fully. Then by the phrase ‘artistic ornament’ Aristotle means rhythm, music and toe ornamental language.  For  the function of the tragedy, Aristotle states the theory of Catharsis. According to this theory, the tragedy should purposefully purge the excessive emotion of pity and fear. Thus we can say that Aristotle’s definition of tragedy is comprehensive enough.

v Constituent Part of Tragedy:-

            Having examined a complete definition of tragedy Aristotle shows its formative or constitutional part. These significant part/elements are, Mythos or "plot", Ethos or "character", Dianoiaor "thought", "theme", Lexis or "diction", "speech", Melos, or "melody" Opsisor "spectacle". Let us try to discuss them in brief.

           

vPlot:-

            Since the plot is the first and foremost part of tragedy. Aristotle discusses its structure at some length. He examines in his poetics the nature, structure, and constituent elements of the ideal tragic plot. Tragedy is imitation of action and action consists of incidents and evens. Plot is the kernel of action. Aristotle says, that the plot is the first principle, the soul of tragedy and there can not be tragedy without plot. Plot, character, thought, melody, diction, and spectacle are the six main element of a tragedy and Aristotle assigns the primary importance to plot.

            According to Aristotle, the poet is the maker of plot. He must first select his incidents and situation and them in such a manners that they follow each other necessarily and inevitably. There should be an orderly arrangement of such incident in a cause and effect manner. Further the incident chosen must be serious, weighty and of some importance and not trivial. In a short Aristotle defines plot as “the imitation of the action; (2) the arrangement of the incidents.

vStructure of Plot; Characteristic of Good plot

1.      The plot must be serious.:

     Defining the tragedy Aristotle says that tragedy is an imitation of action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude. According to this definition the first characteristic of good tragic plot is ‘seriousness’. A tragedy is the story of serious incident or episodes happenings in the life of an individual or a nation. The serious actions generally chosen for the tragedy are dethronement and murder of a king, betray of a kin or a queen, disintegration of family, ties breaking up of normal human relationship, tie of love between brothers or parents and children or wife and husband and the like. These evens become all the more serious and effective if they are related to lives of great men – kings and emperors,  prince and princesses, general and commanders and son on. The action of the tragedy makes a powerful impact upon us if it is likely t make a universal appeal. Such a plot makes a serious and last impression upon the mind of the reader and the spectator.

2.      Complete or whole:-

    The tragic plot should be complete and whole. It means that the plot must have a beginning, a middle and an end. A well constructed plot should neither begin nor end in a haphazard manner. Every incident should be preplanned. The beginning is the further action flows out and when which is intelligible an itself and not consequent or dependent on any previous situation. The end is that which follows inevitable from had gone before, but which does not lead to further action. It marks the completion of the tragic action. The middle is that which follows inevitably upon, what ha gone before, and also leads on to an inevitable conclusion. Thus the action that tragedy imitates is its plot and it must always be accordance with the law of probability and necessity.

3.      Magnitude:-

     According to Aristotle’s definition, the plot of a tragedy must be of a certain magnitude. As such magnitude and order make another essential attribute of a good plot. ‘The word ‘magnitude stands’ for its proper size or length. It should not be too small. In the plot a certain length is necessary, a length which could be easily understood by memory. The greater the length, the more beautiful will the piece be by reason of its size. It should not be too long. It should have a reasonable length mind of a spectator may comprehend the action fully. This magnitude implies that the plot must have order, logic, symmetry and perspicuity.

4.      Unity:-

     A well constructed plot must be single in its issue , it must have an organic unity. There may be a number of incidents and events, but all together they must constitute one and only one action. The plot must have variety ,but still be a unity. This unity arises from the that the first, every event, every incident has a logical connection with the rest of the action and secondly none of them is irrelevant. Just as every part of the body of a living creature is essential for its life and ca not be removed without injury to it so every incident and episode must be necessary the whole. If any part is removed or altered the whole structure should tumble down. On the other hand, an incident or episode, whose presence or absence makes no visible differences should bee excluded form it. All the component part should maintain in the inward principle of organic unity.

5.     Simple and Complex plot;

A plot can be either simple or complex. A simple plot is that in which there comes no reversal in the fortune of the hero. On the contrary a complex plot is one in which catastrophe comes through a reversal in the fortune of the hero. As such a simple plot presents a very tame simple story without any scope for suspense or surprise. The complex lot is dramatically more effective because it produced an ample scope to introduce situation of suspense and surprise. As such a complex plot is always more effective on the stage.

6.      Reversal and Recognition:-

Peripeteia or "reversal" Anagnorisisor "recognition", Reversal of situation and recognition are also essential elements of a good plot,. Reversal of situation implies the change from good to bad fortune. Recognition is a change from is ignorance to knowledge. This stow element add a good deal to the effectiveness of a good tragedy. Reversal of situation implies the decline of change in the life and fortune of her hero and the heroine. The hero recognizes the truth of he situation, dramatically but at this state that too late for him end. King Lear for example, recognizes in the end that Cordelia was really devoted to him and that she was really noble and his two other daughter were ignoble. But this recognition come too late and that produced the feeling of pity. Othelo, like wise, recognizes a little too late that Desdemona was really very pure, noble and caste. Thus reversal and recognition are two very implements of a good tragedy.

7.   Fear and pity:-

A good tragic plot must produce the feelings of pity and fear. Such an effect is best produced when the events come on us by surprise and the effect is heightened when at the same time, they follow as cause and effect. The feelings of pity and fear are from reversal of fortune in the life of hero and heroine. And again this reversal of fortune must spring form some tragic trait in the character of the hero himself. The idea behind the feeling of genuine pity is that sit should arise from unmerited suffering on the part of the hero. This effect should be so powerful that it may affect an emotional catharsis.

v  Character:-

           Character has the second place in importance. In a perfect tragedy, character will support plot. The protagonist should be renewed and prosperous, so his change of fortune can be form good to bad. This change, “Should come about as the result not of vice but of some great error or frailty in a character.  Aristotle here in the first place, list four requisites of good characterization.

1.      The character must be good: A character is god, if his word and actions reveal that his purpose is good. The word ‘good’ has been used here in the great sense. It implies a number of virtues such as courage, magnificence temperance liberality, friendliness etc. Aristotle’s good man is not good, unless he is desiring specific, positive, god ends and working toward his attachment.

2.      The character must be appropriate: They must be true to type or status. i.e. a woman must be shown as humanly and nor manly. The character must be true to tradition if it is taken from some myth or story. They must be true and appropriate representation of the class or group to which they belong. They should not be mere types. They must reveal their individuality when placed in a critical situation.

3.       The character must be true to life: They must be like ourselves. They must have the virtues and weakness, joy and sorrow, loves and hatred, like and dislikes or average humanity. Such likeness is essential for we can feel pity for one who is like our self and only his misfortune can make us fear themselves.

4.      The character must be consistent: The character must be true to their own nature. Their actions must spring forth from their character. A rash man should act rashly. The action of a character must be the necessary and probable outcomes of his nature. He should act in their given circumstances as a man like him is expected to act. Beside these quality the portrait of character should always conform to laws of probability and necessity. In characterization there soul be tendency toward idealism.

            Here Aristotle uses the term ‘Hamartia’ which is often translated as ‘tragic flaw’. The protagonist  has only one flaw in him which brings about his own downfall.  This theory of Hamartia has one chief merit. It attempts to explore the possibilities of tragedy within in human nature itself. As the hero has some human weakness, we can identify our self with him. His ms fortune arouse pity and fear in use. He is a man like ourselves so we feel pity for him.

             The word ‘Hamartia’ has been differently interpreted by different critics. Bradley calls it as tragic flaw. Some say that it is a moral failing. Butcher Bywater and Rostangi agree that Hamartia is not a state, but an error of judgment which man is likely to make. But Humphrey house does not agree with time. If the Hamartia is an error or miscalculation, it may arise in three ways, It may arise from ignorance of some master fact or circumstance. It may arise form hasty or careless views of the situation. It may arise form anger or sudden passion. According to Butcher Aristotle’s idea of Hamartia include the three means above which in English can not be covered by a single term.

            Aristotle lays own another qualification for the tragic hero. He must be a person who occupies a position of great eminence in society. He must be a highly placed and well-reputed individual. This view of Aristotle is based on Greek tragedies in which the hero came from the royal families. But Aristotle never says that the hero should be king or at least royally descendent. We can how justify Aristotle’s vies on the principle that ‘higher the state, the greater the fall that follows.. According to Aristotle, the heroes of the tragedies should not be perfectly good or wicked persons. The fall of a perfectly good person may shock the audience.st

v Thought

            Thought is ‘the intellectual want in a tragedy’. Tragic dramatist presents his views on life through the mouth of tragic character. Sometime speeches are as significant as characters. The dramatist’s aim is compressed in a thought. Thus Aristotle says little about thought.

v Diction(language)

            Aristotle is particularly interested in metaphors. He say, “But the greatest thing, by far is to have a command of metaphor.” Aristotle makes the essential difference between the language of verse and ordinary prose speech. He says, “It is diction which distinguishes  a good writer form the ordinary writer.” Diction is also connected with words should, their harmony and music. Through the diction the dialogue are presented on the stage. Sometimes, the diction or a good dramatist makes the tragic drama sublime.

v Melody or Songs:-

            It is the musical element of the Chorus. Aristotle argues that the Chorus should be fully integrated into the play like an actor. It distinguishes the tragedy from other kinds of poetry. Through songs or music, the dramatist makes his tragedy pleasure.

v Spectacle:-

            Spectacle is last for it is least connect with literature. Aristotle argues that  superior poets rely on the inner structure of the play rather than spectacle to around pity and fear. Those who rely heaving on spectacle..”Create a sense, not of the terrible, but only of the monstrous.”

v Other Importance Elements of Tragedy

Except above six parts of tragedy there are other elements which are essential for tragedy. These are.

v Dramatic Unity:-

            Aristotle renders three dramatic unities. 1. Unity of action. 2. Unity of Place. 3. Unit of time. However, he emphasized on only one unite. I.e. the unity of action He did not discuss other unities in detail.

v Tragic Pleasures

Aristotle believes that he purpose of tragedy is to provide aesthetic pleasure. Aristotle recognizes the value of Catharsis in tragedy.

v  Catharsis

Aristotle did not enlarge ‘Katharsis’. However, later on critic have made different explorations and interpretations of it. They are attached three theories with it. 1. The purification or Clarification Theory 22. The purgation Theory and 3. The Pathological Theory.

They all depict the relief of the excess of emotions of pity and fear aroused in a tragedy. The “The end of the tragedy is a katharsis of the tragic emotion of pity and fear.

v Conclusion:-

            Thus Aristotle the first systematic critic and light bringer in the field of literary critic has given everlasting and meanful definition of tragedy. His ‘The poetics’ is ‘an epoch making work’. Aristotle of the first time discussed comprehensively the concept of tragedy. In brief, through his theory of tragedy, he put himself in the line of great front line critics.