Tragedy By Aaron Kiera Rui What is a

Tragedy By Aaron, Kiera & Rui

What is a tragedy? • Tragedy-A form of drama that presents human suffering and terrible events in a dramatic and dignified matter, whilst also provoking a catharsis or enjoyment within the audience. • The idea of tragic plays derived from Ancient Greece • A usual tragedy will include a tragic hero who has a fatal flaw, which ultimately leads to their downfall and usually ends in a devastating situation.

Aristotle wrote that tragedy involves a great person who experiences a reversal of fortune (peripeteia). His definition can change from bad to good, but he said that the change from good to bad is preferable because it allows feelings of pity and fear. Tragedy results in catharsis (process of releasing strong emotions). According to Aristotle, there are four species of tragedy: 1) Complex 2) Suffering 3) Character 4) Spectacle

Characteristics of a tragic hero Hamartia The flaw that causes the hero's downfall Hubris Excessive pride, or disrespect for the natural order Peripeteia A reversal of fortune Anagnorisis The moment when the hero makes a critical discovery Nemesis A fate that cannot be avoided, usually as retribution for hubris Catharsis The feeling of pity or fear the audience experiences after the hero's fall

Is Othello a tragic hero? Othello is a tragic hero because he: • Has hamartia in the form of judgement and jealousy. Other fatal flaws of Othello’s are insecurity and rage. His misjudgement is also demonstrated when he repeatedly calls upon “honest Iago”. • Othello possesses bravery, honour and pride, which many tragic heroes show. • Othello suffers a reversal of fortune (peripeteia) within his marriage. At the beginning of the play Desdemona and Othello’s marriage is happy as they call each other “my fair warrior” and “dear Othello”. Yet towards the end of the play Othello states he will “chop her into messes” and that she should “rot and perish”.

Othello isn’t a tragic hero Othello doesn’t fit into all of the ‘tragic hero’ criteria: • Othello lacks catharsis. After murdering Desdemona, he knows he has done wrong but wants people to “speak/Of one that loved not wisely, but too well: Of one, not easily jealous”. It also shows his thoughts are mainly for his reputation and not for his regretful actions, so the audience wouldn’t sympathise for him that much. • A tragic hero would usually talk in blank verse not prose. • Othello changes throughout the acts showing he isn’t a classic tragic hero.

Othello is a bit of both • Noble status. • Othello wasn’t born into his noble status as many tragic heroes are, he is a self-made man. • He is described as a “moor”. • Yet, he is also born a prince. • Throughout the play, the audience usually hears about Othello’s position in the army and not his royalty. This makes him a high ranking person, but not a noble man. • The mix of high rank and nobility allows the audience to ambiguously interpret Othello as/not as a tragic hero.

Different types of Tragedy Christopher Marlowe John Webster Lucius Annaeus Seneca • Known as Shakespeares rival • English Jacobean dramatist • Seneca was a highly popular and competitor • Famous tragedies included ‘The Roman philosopher who is • Wrote multiple tragedies such Duchess of Malfi’ and ‘The widely known for writing as “The Jews of Malta”, which White Devil’ tragedies and dealing with was one of his most famous • The Duchess of Malfi was one moral issues through his plays. because it targeted a of Webster’s most famous plays • Famous work of Seneca’s controversial topic at the timeand continued the trend of included Hercules, Octavia and the collision of words religions. stage violence and horror set Furens. by Elizabethan tragedy.

Shakespearean tragedy. • Shakespeare's tragedies are usually focused on a fatally flawed character or system that normally results in death or destruction. • Scholars divide Shakespeare's plays into time periods. • First period (1590 -1594)- Shakespeare wrote Titus Andronicus • Second period (1595 -1601)- Shakespeare wrote Julius Caesar and Romeo and Juliet • Third Period (1602 -1608)- Shakespeare wrote Othello, Macbeth, King Lear and Hamlet.