Six Part of Tragedy

                                     "Six Part Of Tragedy" 

Name : Radha B. Ghevariya 

Std. : M.A. SEM-1

Sub : literary Theory and Criticism

Roll no : 22 

Topic : 

 "Six Part Of Tragedy" 

Submitted to : Smt. S. B. Gardi Department of English 

Introduction 

                 Aristotle the father of western criticism was versatile genious . his mind was opened to different branches of knowledge . such as politics , physics , history , logic , astrology , ethics , mathematics , biology , and literature . Aristotle had this and unquenchable thirst of knowledge . According to R . A. Scott James ,

                      “Aristotle was law giver and absolut  Monarch to the poets and critic……..”

          He was such a genious that even his master plato praised him and  humourously remark ;                  

     “ my acedamy consisted of two part  ,the body of other student and the  Brain of Aristotle”             

                   Aristotle stirred the scholars of world by presenting the illuminating ideas . his ‘poetics’ is a path breaking work which deals with his famous definition of tragedy and his ideas about poetry , plot , character.

Definition of tragedy                       

    Aristotle has given very popular the definition of tragedy in his ‘poetics’. Let us here recall his familiar definition of tragedy using Proffessor Butcher’s reclearing;

                     “Tragedy then is an imitation of an Action that is serious , complete ,    And of a certain magnitude ; in Language embellished with each Kind of artistic ornament , the Veral kinds being found in seperate Part of the play ; in the  form  of    Action not of narration ;  The pity and fear effecting the
           Proper purgation of these emotion”

                        Aristotle  provides a definition of tragedy that we can break into seven  parts : 1] it involve mimesis; 2] it is serious ; 3] the action is complete and with magnitude ;4] it is made up of language with the ‘aesthetic delight’ of rhythm and harmony ; 5] these aesthetic ornament ; are not used uniformly throughout , but are introduced in separate part of the work so that , for instance , some bits are sung ; 6] it is performed rather than narrated ; and 7] it arouse the emotions of pity and fear and accomplishes catharsis of these emotions.                

               Aristotle indicates that the medium of tragedy is drama not narrative ; tragedy ‘show’ rather than ‘tells’  and also Aristotle say that tragedy is higher and more philosophical than history because history simply realtes  what has happened while has dramatizes what may happen.

                          “what  is possible according to The law of probability or necessity”

 

Formative element of tragedy    

         Aristotle onumerates six formative element of tragedy.                       

 1] Plot ( mythos )                    

 2] Character ( ethos )                     

3] Song ( melos )                    

4] Diction ( lexis )                   

5] Thought ( Dianaia )                   

6] Spectacle ( Opsis )                

                Aristotle assert that any tragedy can be divided into six formative element and that every tragedy is made up of these six parts with nothing else beside .

1]  Plot ( Mythos)

      

                Aristotle believes that “plot  is the soul of tragedy” . According to him plot is the most important element of tragedy . he  compares plot with the soul . by this he means that human body is governed by soul . when the soul leaves the body . Aristotle says that there could be tragedy without character but not without plot . according to him , “plot is the soul of tragedy” . plot that meets this criterion will have the following qualities . the plot of Oedipus the king for an application of this  diagram Sophocles play.

                      While history thus deals with the particular and tragedy with the universal . Aristotle also defines plot as  “ the arrangement of the incident” . that is not the story itself but the way the incident are presented to the audience the structure of the play. The plot must be ‘ whole’ with a beginning , middle , and end . THE BEGINNING  called by modern critic , the incentive moment , if the cause and effect chain but not be dependent on anything outside the compass of the play. THE MIDDLE called by climax must  be caused by earlier incident and itself cause the incident that follow it . THE END called by resolution if must be caused by the preceding event but not lead to other incident outside the compass of the play. Aristotle define it as ,

                      “ The harmonious arrangement of
                         The incident …………………………….”                    

                The cause  and effect chain of action are superior those who are depended on the character of the protagonist . certain magnitude means size or length nor too nor to short . but it should be governed by aesthetic pleasure. Aristotle divided the plot into two kinds.                         

1] Simple plot 2] Complex plot

1] Simple plot
                         

             A plot is a simple , when the change in  the fortune , of view takes place without ‘peripetia’ and ‘anagnorsis’ . ‘peripetia’ means reversal and ‘anagnorsis’ means recognizatiopn . Aristotle calls it, ‘a translation from ignorance to knowledge’. Even animinated becomes the recognition in the drama as per Aristotle.

2] Complex plot

                        A complex plot involve both ‘peripetia’ and ‘anagnorsis’. Aristotle prefers a complex plot .Aristotle believes that a complex plot  is suitable for the tragedy . complex plot takes terms or twist throughout the tragedy.  It is not the strait or linear. The audience find it interesting because a complex plot defeats the readers expectation when about the trake of a story it becomes highly interesting. because it capture the attention of the very beginning of the play . a complex plot can generate the true effect of tragedy . Aristotle also  believes in the three unities unity of time ,place and action . Aristotle believes that these unities strengthen effect of tragedy . unity of time -this unity define that the action of the play should cover within 24 hours of time .unity of place-according to Aristotle the play must have one single it means the place for the action should only one place . unity of action-this unity observes that should be only one plot, even in the sub plots generate confusion Aristotle strictly insists to avoid  the plurality.               

             The plot may be either simple or complex , although complex is better . simple plots have only a “change of fortune”. While complex plots have both “reversal of intention” and “recognition” connected with the catastrophe. Aristotle explains that a peripeteia occurs when character produces an effect opposite  to that which he intended to produce while an ansgnorsis,                      

“Is a change form ignorance to  Knowledge producing love or Hate between the persons
    Destined for good or bad fortune”

              Further, Aristotle emphasizes on action by saying that,                    

“ without action there cannot be a Tragedy ; there may be witho        C      h      a    r    a    c    t    e    r”

2] Character ( ethos )
                    

             In the respect of character Aristotle mainly finds four thing :-

1) Character should be good.
2) It  should be appropritate.
3) It should have  likeness.
4) It should  have consistency.

               The character should be good not too good or perfect.by appropritate  Aristotle  means that  they must be prove true type  . by likeness he suggests to main the character life like . by  consistency , he means that three must be no sudden charges in character .  character are men and woman who act. The hero and  heroine are two important figures.             

                  In a  perfect tragedy , character will support plot , that is personal motivations will be intricately connected parts of the cause and effect chain of actions producing pity and fear in the audience for , “pity is aroused by unmerited misfortune , fear by the misfortune of a man like ourselves” . A tragic hero should be a main of mixed character.  this misfortune  should be the result of some arron arron in his character.                 

                     “necessity or probable” characters must be logically constructed according to “the law of  probability or necessity” that governs the actions of the play. “true to life and yet more beautiful” . Aristotle uses there , ‘hamartia’ often translated ‘tragic hero’ has been the subject of much debate . the role of hamartia  in tragedy comes not form its moral status  but from the inevitability of its consequences. So , some writer think the ‘hamartia’ and ‘tragic hero’  just like this .

              * ‘Macbeth’ was noble character . but his vaiting ambitious leads him to his full . it is called tragic flaw.

             *  In the same way Hamlet’s procrastination and othello’s jealously lead them  to the disruction . in this way the characters which are  noble , but with a weakness can generate catharsis. But , these things do not constitute ‘hamartia’ in Aristotle’s sence.

3]Song(melos)

              The song is  one of these embellish . song is the musical component of tragedy . it is used to relieve the tenstion or tragic effect music is a minor element , yet it can not ignored . it is drought by performer’s art . melos means ‘melody’ and this refers to the  chorus since the chorus gives important information it should be considered an important part of the play sometime the chorus adds humoror suspense.

                 Aristotle argue that the chorus should be fully integrated into the play like an actor ; chorus odes should not be “mere interudes” . but  should contribute to the unity of the plot .

4] Diction ( lexis )                  

              Aristotle deals with diction in there chapter form 20 to 22 in ‘poetics’ . Diction is the medium of language or expression through which the characters reveals their throught and feelings . the language should not be common . metaphor and other figure of speech makes the language fit for the grand character . Diction is fourth and is ,

“The expression of the meaning in words”

              Which are proper and appropriate to the plot , character , and end of the tragedy .  in all the element Aristotle discusses the  stylistic element of tragedy ; he is particularly in metaphor ;    

 “ but the greatest thing by Is to have a command for     Metaphor ; ……………..it is the   Mark of genius , for to make Good metaphor implies  an                    Eye       for        resemblances”         

                    There is lexis , which means language

And refers to the language the character use . It should be limbic high quality .

5]Thought(Dianoia) 

      
                           Thought means power of saying , filting to occusion . it is an intellectual element in tragedy . it  is expressed through the speech of character . It is found where something is proved to be or not to be , thought  prove some particular point .

                     Thought seems to denote the intellectual qualities of an agent while character seems to denote the moral qualities of an agent .Thought that is the faculty of saying what is possible and pertinent in given circumstances .

6]Spectacle(opsis)  

             Spectacle has more relastion with  stage craft this element has least . to do with poet’s craft . spectacle related with the stage performance and but he also says that those who on spectacle creat a sense which is not of the terrible . but only of the monstrous effect ,

               “ the production of spectacular
                  Effect depends more on the
                  Art of the stage mechinist than                  On that of the port                 …………….”

              Aristotle calls spectacle the ‘ least artistic’ element of tragedy and the least connected with the work of the poet .

For example :-                   

               If the play has ‘beautiful’ costume and ‘bad’ acting and ‘bad’ story there is ‘something wrong’ with it .even though that ‘beauty, may save play it is ‘not a nice thing’ .                  

          The spectacle has indeed an emotional attraction of its own , but of all the parts , it is the least artistic , and connected least with the art of poetry .

Conclusion             

                To conclude we can say that Aristotle studied only greek tragedy . therefore a theory of tragedy might have some limitations . yet his views universally applicable . Aristotle establish scientific study of tragedy . so , Scott James rightly remarks ;

       “ In giving us this theory of tragedy
         , he has given as something very          Like a theory of fine - art”

         Thus , in ‘ the poetics’  Aristotle has given the ideas about tragedy , its essential element .
Even  Saintsbury says ;        

“It is impossible for anyone
     Who undertakes the office
            Of a critic , to omit the stud  Of Aristotle without very Great       h     a     r     m” .