EDUCATIONWELL

         

Aristotle's Theory of Conception of  Tragedy

Oedipus Tyrannus in literature is something like that of the Mona Lisa in art.it is drawn into its enigmas and moral dilemmas. It is a story that, as Aristotle says in the Poetics, makes one shudder with horror and feel pity just on hearing it. In Sophocles’ hands, however, this ancient tale becomes a profound meditation on the questions of guilt and responsibility.

Aristotle has traced the origin and development of poetry. Poetry is divided into epic and dramatic on the basis of its manner of imitation. The epic narrates, while dramatic poetry represents through action. The dramatic poetry is divided into tragic or comic on the basis of its objects of imitation. Tragedy imitates men as better and comedy as worse than they really are.

The  Types of Poetry: Aristotle has traced the origin and the development of poetry. Poetry was of two kinds :  Lambs or invectives, and Hymns on the Gods. The first was developed into satires and the other into heroic poetry. All these parts of poetry have special sense. Tragedy is the biggest poetic form. It can be distinguished from other poetic forms. The dramatic poetry may be tragic or comic on the basis of its objects of imitation. Tragedy imitates men as better and comedy as worse, then they really are. In the poetic the Greek philosopher compares tragedy which imitates serious objects. Tragedy has much concentration and is more effective. The tragedy has all the elements that are not found in an epic. The Epic has no music or spectacle which are essential elements of tragedy

 Aristotle  defines tragedy as,

                                             "the imitation of an action, serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude, in a language beautiful in different parts with different kinds of embellishment, through action and not narration and through scenes of pity and fear bringing about the catharsis' of these (or such like) emotions."

The first part, from "The imitation of an action" to "and not narration." is concerned with tragedy as one of the imitative arts and points out its medium, objects and manner of imitation. The second part is concerned with the function and emotional effects of tragedy.

• Tragedy is the imitation of an action which means that it is one of the imitative arts. Its medium; objects and manner of imitation should be considered.
• The objects of imitation of a tragedy are serious actions and comedy imitates non serious actions. An epic narrates and does not represent though actions. Thus tragedy is distinguished from epic on the basis of its manner of imitation. Poetry is divided into epic and dramatic poetry on the basis of its manner of imitation. The epic narrates and the dramatic poetry represents through action and dramatic poetry is distinguished as tragic or comic on the basis of its objects of imitation.
• Heroic poetry was developed into tragedy and satiric poetry was transformed into comedy. Tragedy and comedy are opposed to each other. The tragedy presents idealized person and comedy presents personified person. Comedy merges the individuals in the type and tragedy reveals medical the type through the individual
• In the "The Poetics' the Greek Philosopher compares Tragedy with the Epic. Tragedy has all the on the  elements which the epic has. Epic lacks music and Spectacle which are important elements of tragedy. purges the All the parts of an epic are included in tragedy, but those of epic or tragedy are not all of them to be on emotion has explained found in the epic.
•  Nature and Functions of Tragedy: Aristotle has described the nature and function of allopathic tragedy. He defines tragedy, as "the imitations of action serious, complete, and of certain magnitude other in a language beautified through action and not narration and through scenes of pity and fear bringing about the catharsis of these emotions". The imitation of action is concerned with tragedy as one of the imitative arts. It gives out its medium objects and manner of imitation. The objects of imitations of tragedy are serious action. 
• The Tragic Actions: Aristotle says that the tragic actions must be in accordance with the medical law of probability and necessity. The action must be proportionate in the relation of the different parts with Her to each other and to the whole. By embellishments, he means verse and song. It imitates through and verse in the dialogue and through song in the choric parts.  Tragedy should present scenes of fear and pity and bring about a catharsis of these emotions.
• The formative elements of a tragedy are plot, character, diction, throughout, spectacle and song inner illustration.
• Thought is the intellectual element in a tragedy and it may be expressed through the speech of a operates pleasure of tragedy may be derived from 'catharsis'.  character. The sources of tragic pleasure are natural sense of harmony and rhythm. The main pleasure  of tragedy may be derived from "catharsis".