Tragedy: Features and Characteristics

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Types of Drama

Tragedy

A tragedy a type of drama that depicts the downfall or destruction of a noble or heroic character. This downfall often results from a personal flaw, a twist of fate, or a combination of both. The narrative usually involves intense emotions and leads to a cathartic release for the audience. Tragedy underscores the vulnerability of humanity, our susceptibility to failure, and the inevitable suffering that comes with existence. It serves as a mirror reflecting the harsh realities of life, while simultaneously exploring profound themes of morality, responsibility, and the human condition.

Aristotle’s Concept of Tragedy

According to Aristotle, tragedy is an act of imitation. He defines Tragedy as “the imitation of an action that is serious and also, as having magnitude, complete in  itself; in appropriate and pleasurable language;…  in a dramatic rather than narrative form; with incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish a catharsis of these emotions.” Thus according to Aristotle there are seven characteristic features  for  a tragedy:-  1) it  is  mimetic,  2)  it  is  serious, 3)  it tells a full story of an  appropriate length,  4)  it  contains  rhythm  and  harmony,  5) rhythm  and  harmony occur  in  different  combinations in different parts of the tragedy, 6) it is performed rather than narrated, and 7) it arouses feelings of pity and fear and then purges these feelings through catharsis.

 

Elements of Tragedy

 

According to Aristotle, there are six components of tragedy: plot, character, thought, diction, song and spectacle. The success of a tragic play depends upon the perfect combination of these six components.  

 

Plot: Aristotle believes that plot is the soul of a tragedy. It is the most important feature of a tragedy because action is the most significant aspect of a tragedy. There can be tragedy without character or music or dance; but there cannot be a tragedy without action. Plot is the arrangement of incidents. Story gets its impact or power only when the incidents are arranged in the correct sequence with effective link. It must have a universal significance, definite structure, unity of theme and purpose. A good plot must have a beginning, a middle, which follows logically from the beginning; and an end, which follows logically from the middle and from which no further action necessarily follows. The plot should be unified, there should be no diversion or digression and every element should be well-knit into the plot.

 

Character: Character is the second important element of a tragedy. The tragic hero or the central character of a tragedy is typically a person of high standing (like a king or noble), but suffers a downfall. The tragic hero is essentially a good and noble man but there is certain flaw (Hamartia) in his character. This flaw could be  excessive pride (hubris), but it can also be poor judgment, ignorance, or another  weakness that ultimately  leads to his downfall. The flaw leads the tragic hero to a critical mistake or poor decision, which is often the direct cause of his downfall and misfortune.

In Shakespearean literature, a tragic hero is a character of noble stature and virtue who is flawed in such a way that his downfall is inevitable. The Shakespearean tragic hero possesses admirable qualities such as bravery, loyalty, and a sense of justice. Shakespeare’s plays such as Macbeth, Hamlet, Othello, and King Lear feature great tragic heroes embody these characteristics. The concept of the tragic hero is a central element in the structure and themes of Shakespearean tragedies.

Thought: The third important component of a tragic play is thought. Thought is important because actions spring out from thoughts. A tragedy is the imitation of action or imitation of men in action. Everything that are supposed to be brought out through the effect of speech or action are included under thought. The verbal and the nonverbal impact of a tragic drama may be assigned to its action or speech; but both these action and speech are the co-existing components of thought. The cathartic effect of the tragic play by arousing the feelings of pity and fear is ultimately the product of thought.

 

Diction: Diction is the metrical arrangement of words in the play. It includes the verbal expression of the content or the subject matter of the tragic play. The nature, type, quality and aptness of vocabulary used in a tragedy should be proper and appropriate to the character, plot and objective of the tragedy.  The language of tragedy should be embellished and the use of figure of speech makes the diction rich and intellectual.

 Song: Aristotle calls the musical elements of the chorus as song or melody. Song is a splendid aspect of tragic play because it makes sense to everybody and the viewer appreciates the artistic form with sheer pleasure. Chorus creates and keeps the melody of the play and Aristotle insists that chorus should  be an integral part of the play.

 

Spectacle: Spectacle is the last component of a tragic play. It is of lowest importance because  it  has very little to do with literature. The spectacular beauty arises when the play is brought out with the artistic value. So it is an automatic byproduct of a good play.

 

     Unique Components of Tragedy

 

       There are  four specific components in addition to the above mentioned ones that make tragedy a

u     unique work of art. They are anagnorisis, hamartia, peripeteia & catharsis.

 

Anagnorisis:  The Greek word anagnorisis means ‘recognition’. Aristotle describes it as an essential component of a tragedy. The moment of recognition or “anagnorisis” is a crucial point of time when the tragic hero gains insights into his true situation. He comes to realize the consequences of his actions and the causes of his downfall. The moment of self-awareness is emotionally powerful and often serves as a climax in the hero’s journey.  

 

Hamartia is described by Aristotle as the ‘error in judgment’. The tragic hero is a man of noble status; still he faces downfall and misfortune not because of his villainy but due to an error in judgment. His sufferings are due to a moral flaw which makes the impact of sufferings all the more intense. 

 

Peripeteia (Reversal of Fortune): The tragic hero experiences a dramatic shift from good fortune to bad, where he moves from a position of greatness to one of suffering, downfall and defeat. This dramatic shift in fortune is also known as ‘peripeteia’. The reversal of fortune significantly alters the hero’s life and sets him on a path toward his tragic end.  

Catharsis: It is a medical term that means ‘purgation’. The concept of catharsis is crucial to understanding the purpose of a tragedy.  According to Aristotle, the purpose of tragedy is to arouse the emotions of pity and fear. As the audience witnesses the hero’s suffering and downfall, they experience a purging or  emotional release known as catharsis. The emotional cleansing allows the audience to reflect on their own lives and the complexities of human nature.