Page 22 - DENG403_BRITISH_DRAMA

British Drama

Notes audience also undergoes a cathartic experience, is still hotly debated. One scholar, Gerald
Else, says that tragedy purifies “whatever is ‘filthy’ or ‘polluted’ in the pathos, the tragic act”.
Others say that the play arouses emotions of pity and fear in the spectator and then purifies
them.
• Plot is the most important element of tragedy. The best tragic plot is single and complex,
rather than double, but a complex plot includes reversal and recognition.
• A tragic hero is the main character in a tragedy. He is a great man who is neither a paragon of
virtue and justice nor undergoes the change to misfortune through any real badness or
wickedness but because of some mistake.
• The tragic hero is a character of noble stature and has greatness. This should be readily evident
in the play. The character must occupy a “high” status position but must also embody nobility
and virtue as part of his/her innate character.
• Though the tragic hero is pre-eminently great, he/she is not perfect. Otherwise, the rest of us-
-mere mortals--would be unable to identify with the tragic hero. We should see in him or her
someone who is essentially like us, although perhaps elevated to a higher position in society.
• The hero’s downfall, therefore, is partially her/his own fault, the result of free choice, not of
accident or villainy or some overriding, malignant fate. In fact, the tragedy is usually triggered
by some error of judgment or some character flaw that contributes to the hero’s lack of
perfection. This error of judgment or character flaw is known as hamartia and is usually
translated as “tragic flaw” (although some scholars argue that this is a mistranslation). Often
the character’s hamartia involves hubris (which is defined as a sort of arrogant pride or over-
confidence).
• The hero“s misfortunate is not wholly deserved. The punishment exceeds the crime.
• The fall is not pure loss. There is some increase in awareness, some gain in self-knowledge,
some discovery on the part of the tragic hero.
• Though it arouses solemn emotion, tragedy does not leave its audience in a state of depression.
Aristotle argues that one function of tragedy is to arouse the “unhealthy” emotions of pity
and fear and through a catharsis (which comes from watching the tragic hero’s terrible fate)
cleanse us of those emotions. It might be worth noting here that Greek drama was not
considered “entertainment,” pure and simple; it had a communal function—to contribute to
the good health of the community. This is why dramatic performances were a part of religious
festivals and community celebrations.

1.4 Keywords

Catharsis : An emotional discharge that brings about a moral or spiritual renewal or welcome
relief from tension and anxiety. According to Aristotle, catharsis is the marking feature
and ultimate end of any tragic artistic work. He writes in his Poetics (c. 350 BCE):
“Tragedy is an imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain
magnitude; . . . through pity [eleos] and fear [phobos] effecting the proper purgation
[catharsis] of these emotions.”
Character : A person who is responsible for the thoughts and actions within a story, poem, or
other literature. Characters are extremely important because they are the medium
through which a reader interacts with a piece of literature. Every character has his
or her own personality, which a creative author uses to assist in forming the plot of
a story or creating a mood. The different attitudes, mannerisms, and even appearances
of characters can greatly influence the other major elements in a literary work, such
as theme, setting, and tone.

16 LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY