Page 91 - DENG403_BRITISH_DRAMA

Gowher Ahmad Naik, Lovely Professional University
Unit 6: Macbeth—Concept of Tragedy of Aristotle and its Application on Macbeth, Poetic Tragedy and Motifs

Unit 6: Macbeth—Concept of Tragedy of Aristotle and its Notes
Application on Macbeth, Poetic Tragedy and Motifs

CONTENTS

Objectives
Introduction

6.1 Aristotle’s Concept of Tragedy and its Application on Macbeth

6.1.1 Tragedy of Character
6.1.2 Tragedy of Moral Order

6.1.3 Poetic Tragedy
6.1.4 Motifs

6.2 Summary
6.3 Keywords

6.4 Review Questions

6.5 Further Readings

Objectives

After studying this unit, you will be able to:
• Apply the Aristotle’s tragedy on Macbeth;

• Explain the tragedy of character in Macbeth;
• Elaborate the tragedy of moral order;
• Illustrate the poetic tragedy in Macbeth;
• Enumerate the motifs in Macbeth.

Introduction

According to Aristotle, tragedies had certain recognizable sections which most of our surviving
plays follow. A prologue, spoken by one or two characters, introduces the play's setting and major
action. The parodos brings the chorus into the orchestra to become an audience and respondent to
the characters. The body of the play alternates between episodes involving the principle actors and
choral odes sung and danced by the chorus, to allow for the actors to change costumes and indicate
the passage of time. The exodos concludes the play with all performers leaving the stage. Plays
were written entirely in verse, although lyric passages and dramatic dialogue differed considerably
in style. Choral odes exhibit a wide variety of meters, nearly impossible to convey in translation,
which indicate changes in mood and subject, whether religious, solemn, excited, etc. Actors spoke

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