What is Tragedy?What is Tragedy?

An “imitation of an action that is An “imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and has serious, complete, and has sufficient size, in a language that sufficient size, in a language that is made sweet…exciting pity and is made sweet…exciting pity and fear, bringing about a catharsis of fear, bringing about a catharsis of such emotions,” is now Aristotle such emotions,” is now Aristotle defined tragedy defined tragedy

HubrisHubris

HubrisHubris or or hybrishybris ( (GreekGreek ὕβρις), according to ὕβρις), according to its modern usage, is exaggerated self its modern usage, is exaggerated self pridepride or or self-confidence, often resulting in fatal self-confidence, often resulting in fatal retribution. In retribution. In Ancient GreekAncient Greek hubrishubris referred referred to actions taken in order to shame the victim, to actions taken in order to shame the victim, thereby making oneself seem superior.thereby making oneself seem superior.

Hubris was a crime in Hubris was a crime in classical Athensclassical Athens. . Violations of the law against hubris ranged Violations of the law against hubris ranged from what might today be termed assault and from what might today be termed assault and battery, to sexual assault, to the theft of public battery, to sexual assault, to the theft of public or sacred property.or sacred property.

Crucial to this definition are the ancient Greek Crucial to this definition are the ancient Greek concepts of honor (concepts of honor (timētimē) and shame. The ) and shame. The concept of concept of timētimē included not only the included not only the exaltation of the one receiving honor, but also exaltation of the one receiving honor, but also the shaming of the one overcome by the act of the shaming of the one overcome by the act of hubris. This concept of honor is akin to a zero-hubris. This concept of honor is akin to a zero-sum game.sum game.

HubrisHubris

Aristotle defined hubris as follows:Aristotle defined hubris as follows:– to cause shame to the victim to cause shame to the victim – not in order that anything may happen to not in order that anything may happen to

you, nor because anything has you, nor because anything has – happened to you, but merely for your own happened to you, but merely for your own

gratification. Hubris is not the gratification. Hubris is not the – requital of past injuries; this is revenge. As requital of past injuries; this is revenge. As

for the pleasure in hubris, its for the pleasure in hubris, its – cause is this: men think that by ill-treating cause is this: men think that by ill-treating

others they make their own others they make their own – superiority the greater.superiority the greater.

HubrisHubris

Hubris against the gods is often said to be the Hubris against the gods is often said to be the ""tragic flawtragic flaw" ("error") of characters in " ("error") of characters in Greek tragedyGreek tragedy, and the cause of the ", and the cause of the "nemesisnemesis" " or destruction, which befalls these characters.[or destruction, which befalls these characters.[citationcitation needed needed] However, this represents only ] However, this represents only a small proportion of occurrences of hubris in a small proportion of occurrences of hubris in Greek literature, and for the most part hubris Greek literature, and for the most part hubris refers to infractions by mortals against other refers to infractions by mortals against other mortals. Therefore, it is now generally agreed mortals. Therefore, it is now generally agreed that the Greeks did not generally think of that the Greeks did not generally think of hubris as a religious matter, still less that it hubris as a religious matter, still less that it was normally punished by the gods.was normally punished by the gods.[2][2]

HamartiaHamartia

HamartiaHamartia ( (Ancient GreekAncient Greek: άμαρτία) is used in : άμαρτία) is used in AristotleAristotle's 's PoeticsPoetics, where it is usually , where it is usually translated as a mistake, flaw, failure, fault, or translated as a mistake, flaw, failure, fault, or sin.sin.

There is debate as to what exactly There is debate as to what exactly hamartiahamartia means in Aristotle's means in Aristotle's PoeticsPoetics. It has been . It has been interpreted as referring to a 'tragic flaw in the interpreted as referring to a 'tragic flaw in the character of the character of the protagonistprotagonist (the (the tragic herotragic hero), ), but the word, in but the word, in Homeric GreekHomeric Greek, refers to a , refers to a warrior who has missed his mark. If an archer warrior who has missed his mark. If an archer or a spear thrower misses, άμαρτες has or a spear thrower misses, άμαρτες has occurred. Those who prefer this interpretation occurred. Those who prefer this interpretation argue that the Greek tragedies contain no argue that the Greek tragedies contain no clearly identifiable tragic flaws, and have been clearly identifiable tragic flaws, and have been twisted to fit the supposed 'tragic flaw' theory.twisted to fit the supposed 'tragic flaw' theory.[[citationcitation needed needed]]

PeripeteiaPeripeteia

PeripeteiaPeripeteia ( (GreekGreek, περιπετεῖα) is a reversal , περιπετεῖα) is a reversal of circumstances, or turning point. The term of circumstances, or turning point. The term is primarily used with reference to works of is primarily used with reference to works of literature. The English form of peripeteia is literature. The English form of peripeteia is PeripetyPeripety. Peripety is a sudden reversal . Peripety is a sudden reversal dependent on intellect and logic.dependent on intellect and logic.

Aristotle defines it as "a change by which the Aristotle defines it as "a change by which the action veers round to its opposite, subject action veers round to its opposite, subject always to our rule of probability or always to our rule of probability or necessity."necessity."

Peripeteia includes Peripeteia includes changes of characterchanges of character, but , but also more external changes. A character who also more external changes. A character who becomes rich and famous from poverty and becomes rich and famous from poverty and obscurity has undergone peripeteia, even if obscurity has undergone peripeteia, even if his character remains the same.his character remains the same.

PeripeteiaPeripeteia

When a character learns something he When a character learns something he had been previously ignorant of, this could had been previously ignorant of, this could be described as peripeteia; the character be described as peripeteia; the character has been turned from a state of ignorance has been turned from a state of ignorance to that of knowledge, or from doubt to to that of knowledge, or from doubt to certainty. However, this is normally certainty. However, this is normally distinguished from peripetia as distinguished from peripetia as anagnorisis or discovery, a distinction anagnorisis or discovery, a distinction derived from Aristotle's work.derived from Aristotle's work.

Aristotle considered anagnorisis, leading Aristotle considered anagnorisis, leading to peripeteia, the mark of a superior to peripeteia, the mark of a superior tragedy. tragedy.

AnagnorisisAnagnorisis

AnagnorisisAnagnorisis is the recognition by is the recognition by the tragic hero of some truth about the tragic hero of some truth about his or her identity or actions that his or her identity or actions that accompanies the reversal of the accompanies the reversal of the situation in the plot, the situation in the plot, the peripeteiaperipeteia. . Oedipus's realization that he is, in Oedipus's realization that he is, in fact, his father's murderer and his fact, his father's murderer and his mother's lover is an example of mother's lover is an example of anagnorisis. anagnorisis.