This document outlines Aristotle's definition and analysis of tragedy from his work Poetics. It discusses the key elements of tragedy according to Aristotle, including plot, character, thought, diction, song/melody, and spectacle. It also differentiates between Greek/classical tragedies, which focused on the downfall of prominent heroes/figures, and modern domestic tragedies, which depict ordinary citizens. Students are then asked to consider whether a given text fits the mold of domestic versus conventional tragedy and to write a paragraph explaining their view.

2. LO: Can I consider whether the
play fits into the conventions of
tragedy?
What do you know about the genre of
tragedy?

3. History of Tragedy
Greek Tragedy
• Aristotle defined tragedy, in his Poetics, as "the
imitation of an action that is serious and also as having
magnitude, complete in itself."
• He continues, "Tragedy is a form of drama exciting the
emotions of pity and fear. Its action should be single
and complete, presenting a reversal of fortune,
involving persons renowned and of superior
attainments, and it should be written in poetry
embellished with every kind of artistic expression."
• The writer presents "incidents arousing pity and fear,
wherewith to interpret its catharsis of such emotions"

4. Catharsis
•Catharsis is the purging or
purification of pity and fear. The term
in drama refers to a sudden emotional
climax that evokes overwhelming
feelings of great sorrow, pity, laughter
or any other extreme change in
emotion, resulting in restoration and
renewal in members of the audience.

5. The Six Main Parts
•“...Every Tragedy, therefore, must
have six parts, which determine its
quality—namely, Plot, Characters,
Diction, Thought, Spectacle, Melody”
according to Aristotle.

6. Plot
• Aristotle defines plot as “the arrangement of the
incidents”: i.e., the structure of the play.
• The plot must be “whole,” with a beginning, middle,
and end. The beginning must start the cause-and-effect
chain but not be dependent on anything outside the
compass of the play. The middle, or climax, must be
caused by earlier incidents and itself cause the
incidents that follow it. The end, or resolution, must
be caused by the preceding events but not lead to
other incidents outside the compass of the play; the
end should therefore solve or resolve the problem
created during the incentive moment.

7. Freitag’s Triangle

8. Qualities of the Plot
• The plot must be “of a certain magnitude,”
both quantitatively (length, complexity) and
qualitatively (“seriousness” and universal
significance). Aristotle argues that plots should
not be too brief; the more incidents and
themes that the playwright can bring together,
the greater the artistic value and richness of
the play. Also, the more universal and
significant the meaning of the play, the more
the playwright can catch and hold the
emotions of the audience, the better the play
will be.

9. Character
• Character has the second place in
importance. In a perfect tragedy, character will
support plot. The protagonist should be renowned and
prosperous, so his change of fortune can be from good
to bad. This change “should come about as the result,
not of vice, but of some great error or frailty in a
character.”
• The term Aristotle uses is hamartia, often translated
“tragic flaw” is important in tragedy. In the ideal
tragedy, claims Aristotle, the protagonist will
mistakenly bring about his own downfall—not because
he is sinful or morally weak, but because he does not
know enough. The role of the hamartia in tragedy
comes from the inevitability of its consequences.

10. Thought
• Thought is third in importance, and is
found “where something is proved to
be or not to be.” Aristotle says little about
thought, and most of what he has to say is
associated with how speeches should reveal
character.
•However, we can link this character to the
themes of a play.

11. Diction
• Diction is fourth, and is “the expression of
the meaning in words” which are proper and
appropriate to the plot, characters, and end
of the tragedy.
• In this category, Aristotle discusses the stylistic
elements of tragedy; he is particularly interested in
metaphors: “But the greatest thing by far is to have a
command of metaphor; . . . it is the mark of genius, for
to make good metaphors implies an eye for
resemblances”.

12. Song or Melody
• Song, or melody, is fifth, and is the
musical element of the chorus.
• Aristotle argues that the Chorus should be fully
integrated into the play like an actor; choral
odes should not be “mere interludes,” but
should contribute to the unity of the plot.

13. Spectacle
• Spectacle is last, for it is least connected with
literature; “the production of spectacular
effects depends more on the art of the stage
machinist than on that of the poet.”
• Although Aristotle recognizes the emotional attraction
of spectacle, he argues that superior poets rely on the
inner structure of the play rather than spectacle to
arouse pity and fear; those who rely heavily on
spectacle “create a sense, not of the terrible, but only
of the monstrous”.

14. What’s the difference?

15. Domestic Tragedy
• In modern (particularly English) drama, a domestic
tragedy is a play in which the tragic protagonists are
ordinary middle-class or lower-class individuals.
• Aristotle had argued that tragedy should concern only
great individuals with great minds and souls, because
their catastrophic downfall would be more emotionally
powerful to the audience; only comedy should depict
middle-class people.
• Domestic tragedy breaks with Aristotle's precepts,
taking as its subjects merchants or citizens whose lives
have less consequence in the wider world.

16. Next Task
Do you think the text is a domestic tragedy
or a conventional tragedy?
Agree/Disagree – stand in the room based
on your position

17. Final Task
Write a PEE paragraph in which you
explain your reasons.

18. Your Task
Read through the tragedy sheet and be
ready to explain what you read (pp68-70)