Tragedy: Creating and Critiquing

Introduction to Tragedy

Tragedy is is a literary and dramatic genre characterized by the portrayal of profoundly distressing events and the suffering of the central characters, often leading to their downfall or destruction.

It typically explores themes of human frailty, moral dilemmas, and the inevitable clash between individual desires and social norms or fate.

Tragedy serves as a reflection on the complexities of the human condition, eliciting deep emotional responses and providing insights into the inherent vulnerabilities of humanity. Writers of tragedy are often called tragedians such as Grecian tragedians.

Tragedy and Its History

Point	Details
Origins in Ancient Greece	Tragedy originated in ancient Greece as part of religious festivals with playwrights like Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides contributing great works. They were great tragedians.
Aristotle’s Poetics	Aristotle’s influential treatise, Poetics, outlined the essential elements of tragedy, including the concept of catharsis and the structure of a tragic plot.
Shakespearean Tragedies	William Shakespeare’s tragedies, such as Hamlet, Macbeth, and Othello, exemplified the genre’s development during the Elizabethan era.
Neo-Classical Tragedy	The neo-classical period saw a revival of classical principles, and French playwrights like Corneille and Racine produced tragedies adhering to these rules.
Modern Tragedy	In the 19th and 20th centuries, authors like Arthur Miller (Death of a Salesman) and Tennessee Williams (A Streetcar Named Desire) introduced a shift in tragic themes, focusing on the common man’s struggles.
Tragedy in Literature and Film	Tragic themes expanded beyond theater to include novels, short stories, and films, allowing for diverse explorations of human suffering and fate.
Existential and Absurdist Tragedy	Existentialist and absurdist movements, led by authors like Albert Camus (The Stranger) and Samuel Beckett (Waiting for Godot), challenged traditional notions of tragedy and human existence.
Contemporary Tragic Themes	Contemporary literature continues to explore tragic themes, addressing social issues, personal struggles, and the complexities of the human condition.
Global Tragic Traditions	Tragedy’s influence has transcended cultures, with various global traditions contributing unique perspectives to the genre.
Relevance in the Modern World	Tragedy remains a potent form of storytelling, reflecting on the human experience, and prompting audiences to contemplate life’s fundamental questions.

How to Create Tragedy?

Creating tragedy is a complex process that involves several elements. Here are some general steps that help in creating a tragic story:

1. Develop a Tragic Hero: Create a character with admirable qualities but a fatal flaw leading to downfall. Explore motivations, backstory, and internal conflict.
2. Establish Inevitability: Create a sense of unavoidable tragedy. Utilize powerful antagonists, a chain of events, or the impact of flaws.
3. Build Tension and Suspense: Engage the audience emotionally. Employ foreshadowing, irony, and narrative techniques for heightened anticipation.
4. Use Powerful Symbolism: Convey deeper themes through symbolism. Integrate objects, animals, or weather to highlight central messages.
5. Create Catharsis: Provide emotional release for the audience. Develop a tragic yet satisfying resolution to facilitate closure and emotional processing.

Benefits of Tragedy

While tragedy is often associated with sadness and despair, it can also have several benefits. Here are some potential benefits of tragedy:

1. Catharsis: Tragedy provides a cathartic experience for the audience, allowing them to experience a release of emotions like pity, fear, and empathy. Witnessing the struggles and downfall of tragic characters helps viewers process their own emotions and gain a sense of emotional purging.
2. Insight into the Human Condition: Tragedies often delve deeply into the complexities of the human condition. They explore fundamental questions about life, morality, fate, and the consequences of human actions. Through these explorations, audiences gain insights into human nature and the dilemmas faced by individuals.
3. Moral and Ethical Reflection: Tragic situations in literature or theater often involve characters who grapple with moral dilemmas and ethical choices. The audience is encouraged to reflect on these dilemmas and consider the consequences of their own actions, leading to a heightened sense of social responsibility.
4. Empathy and Understanding: Tragic characters are often multi-dimensional, with strengths and flaws that make them relatable. By empathizing with these characters, audiences can better understand the struggles and complexities of others’ lives, fostering empathy and compassion in real-life situations.
5. Entertainment and Engagement: Tragedies are emotionally engaging and captivating. They keep audiences invested in the story, as they are drawn to the characters’ fate and the outcomes of their actions. This engagement contributes to the enjoyment of the literary or theatrical experience.
6. Artistic Expression and Creativity: Tragedies allow writers, playwrights, and artists to explore complex themes, character arcs, and intricate plotlines. Crafting tragedies requires a high level of artistic skill and creativity, enabling artists to showcase their talents and create compelling narratives.
7. Social and Cultural Commentary: Tragedy often serves as a medium for social and cultural commentary. Through tragic events and character arcs, writers can address and critique societal issues, norms, and values, fostering discussions and introspection.
8. Intellectual Challenge: Tragedies often challenge audiences intellectually, as they grapple with profound questions and themes. This intellectual stimulation encourages critical thinking and a deeper engagement with the work.
9. Preservation of Cultural Heritage: Many classic tragedies have endured over centuries, contributing to the preservation of cultural heritage. They offer valuable insights into historical perspectives, beliefs, and values of different societies and periods.

Tragedy and Literary Theory

Literary Theory	Interpretation of Tragedy	Example from Literature
Aristotle’s Poetics	Emphasizes plot, character, and spectacle. A successful tragedy evokes pity and fear with a clear structure.	Example: Oedipus Rex by Sophocles
Feminist Theory	Explores gender representation and power dynamics. Tragedies may depict women and marginalized groups as victims of societal norms.	Example: Medea by Euripides
Psychoanalytic Theory	Analyzes characters’ motivations and actions through the lens of their unconscious mind and past experiences.	Example: Hamlet by William Shakespeare
Marxist Theory	Examines the role of class and economic structures in shaping tragic events.	Example: Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller
Structuralism	Explores underlying structures and themes that contribute to the impact of a tragedy.	Example: Macbeth by William Shakespeare
Postcolonial Theory	Analyzes how the legacy of colonialism and cultural oppression influence tragic events and characters.	Example: Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

Suggested Readings

1. Abrams, M. H. A Glossary of Literary Terms. Wadsworth Publishing, 2014.
2. Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. Anchor Books, 1994.
3. Aristotle. Poetics. Translated by S. H. Butcher, Dover Publications, 1997.
4. Euripides. Medea and Other Plays. Translated by Philip Vellacott, Penguin Classics, 2003.
5. Miller, Arthur. Death of a Salesman. Penguin Books, 1998.
6. Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Edited by Cyrus Hoy, W. W. Norton & Company, 1992.
7. Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Edited by Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine, Simon & Schuster, 2003.
8. Sophocles. Oedipus Rex. Translated by David Grene, University of Chicago Press, 2010.
9. Williams, Raymond. Modern Tragedy. Verso, 2008.