The Poetic Principle Essays

  • Titus Andronicus Research Paper

    640 Words  | 3 Pages

    in technique. In this play, Shakespeare applies a good portion of Aristotle’s principles of tragedy as well as some of his own. First, the readers or spectators may notice that Lavinia’s rape and mutilation are known to them but not to her father until Act 3. This is a classic storytelling technique which follows Aristotle’s first principle of tragedy that “most important of all is the structure of the incidents” (Poetics). In more modern terms, Peter Barry says that “the key to story-telling is not

  • The Role Of Tragedy In Things Fall Apart

    1411 Words  | 6 Pages

    catharsis of such emotions” (Poetics, chapter.6). The novel “Things Fall Apart” resembles Aristotle 's idea of a tragic hero because the main protagonist, Okonkwo, meets all of Aristotle’s criteria of a tragic hero by being a perfect man in his society until he makes a mistake and is exiled for it only to return seven years later to find his village completely changed and his life goal thus meaningless. Therefore, this paper will focus on how the Aristotle’s principles are reflected in the novel “Things

  • Comparing Tragedy And The Common Man

    1124 Words  | 5 Pages

    all tragedies are primarily based. He states that tragedies need to follow a series of principles in order to be considered tragedies. These principles are explained in Aristotles’ ‘Poetics’. Arthur Miller revolutionized the appearance of tragedies in his articles ‘Tragedy and the Common Man’ in 1949. Miller introduced features of tragedy that can be seen in modern film and drama. In his famous work ‘Poetics’, Aristotle defines tragedy as: ‘an imitation of an action that is serious, complete,

  • Sophocles Antigone: A Tragic Hero

    774 Words  | 4 Pages

    According to Aristotle, a tragic hero is someone “between two extremes... not eminently good and just, yet whose misfortune is not brought about by some error or frailty” (Poetics). Tragedy is intended to create catharsis by making the audience sympathize with the protagonist. Therefore, the point of a tragic character is to make these emotions. An effective tragedy causes the audience’s emotions to mirror this rise and fall. Antigone has a few tragic flaws going for her, or rather against her. Her

  • Tragedy In A Separate Peace

    2070 Words  | 9 Pages

    The Essence of Tragedy: Loss and Lesson Every tragedy has a lesson equal in significance to its sorrow. When our lives are faced with perilous situations beyond our control, it is up to us to take from them what we need to. By distancing ourselves from the initial feelings of misery, we are able to take away lessons that we would not recognize otherwise. The use of tragic elements in A Separate Peace impacts the audience in a way other novels cannot, by using tragedy to invoke deeper meaning and

  • Medea Literary Analysis

    1873 Words  | 8 Pages

    Plot is the most important factor within a play, it is the key element that allows an audience, actors, and playwrights to unite. “The plot, then, is the first principle, and, as it were, the soul of a tragedy; Character holds the second place,” said Aristotle in his book The Poetics. The plot then leads to action and action leads to tragedy; one could not exist without the other. Tragedy, therefore, is written into a play for the benefit of a character. The tragic hero is born when the Aristotle’s

  • Antigone Tragedy Analysis

    1141 Words  | 5 Pages

    the play, the representation being accomplished by people performing and not by narration, and through pity and fear achieving the catharsis of such emotion’- Aristotle, Poetics, Chapter 6. The play “Antigone” by Sophocles displays many qualities that make it a great tragedy. A tragedy is a dramatic work in which the principle character engages in a significant struggle ending in ruin and destruction. In creating his tragedy, Sophocles uses many techniques to create the feelings of fear and pity

  • The Tragic Hero In Arthur Miller's The Crucible

    963 Words  | 4 Pages

    What is a tragic hero? A tragic hero is a character in a dramatic tragedy who is destined for downfall, suffering, or defeat It is a character who realizes their mistakes It is someone who struggles in life; it is someone that walks into their own death Many of the things I 've searched up about a tragic hero is the exact definition of John Proctor It is important to understand this because he was brave enough to do something not many people would not do Arthur Miller 's the crucible shows that it

  • A Literary Analysis Of Hamlet's Plot And Tragic Hero

    764 Words  | 4 Pages

    Macbeth according to Aristotle’s Poetics Aristotle defined tragedy as:- “the imitation of an action that is serious and also, as having magnitude, complete in itself; in appropriate and pleasurable language...in a dramatic rather than narrative form; with incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish a catharsis of these emotions.” (Aristotle Poetics Ch.6)

  • Factor Of Villain

    1875 Words  | 8 Pages

    The Determining Factor of a Hero and Villain What makes an individual a hero or a villain? According to Merriam-Webster, a hero is ‘a person who is admired for achievements and noble qualities’. Whereas, a villain is ‘one blamed for a particular evil or difficulty’. But do these definitions truly describe who a villain or a hero is irrespective of the individual’s actions, intentions, behaviour and appearance? In films such as Megamind, the themes of heroism and villainy are quite nebulous. The initial

  • The Myth Of Helen Analysis

    1464 Words  | 6 Pages

    The Iliad is linked to Helen of Troy because it shows how beauty can have a major tremble in the works of writing and craftsmanship of artists. These paintings and stories tried to explain unnatural events and teach young ones important lessons. The myth of Helen of Troy shows us that we should not be focused on beauty rather we should be focused on what is happening around us than ourselves. In the painting it shows Helen looking at herself in a mirror than at the beautiful landscape, Doves, and

  • The Character Of Macbeth In William Shakespeare's Play

    1071 Words  | 5 Pages

    Throughout The Tragedy of Macbeth, we see the character of Macbeth change from a person of great honor and respect to someone who is engulfed in the greed for power. When Shakespeare wrote his play, he was showing the world what a tragic hero seems to be like, but did he really know what it meant to be a tragic hero himself when writing his play. A tragic hero is a character who makes a judgment error with the right intentions in mind, but this ultimately leads to their demise even if they thought

  • Nelson Mandela As A Hero Essay

    1685 Words  | 7 Pages

    According to Aristotle “A man doesn 't become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall." In Aristotle’s terms, a hero must suffer more than he deserves, is noble in nature, but imperfect so that the onlookers can see themselves in him. A Hero must furthermore understand his doom, as well as the fact that his fate was exposed by his own actions - Additionally, a hero should be physically or spiritually wounded by his experiences, often resulting in death. Ultimately, a Hero 's story should

  • Friendship In Othello

    1474 Words  | 6 Pages

    The tragedy of “Othello” is the destruction of one’s integrity. The play is one of the great Shakespearean tragedies, which are all “a play dealing with tragic events and having an unhappy ending, especially one concerning the downfall of the main character,” (Oxford Dictionary) who in this case is Othello. He was a Venetian general living in Cyprus with his lovely wife Desdemona. The play begins with one of his most trusting friends, Iago, who is furious about Cassio being appointed as Othello’s

  • Tragic Hero In Oedipus The King

    752 Words  | 4 Pages

    The tragic play Oedipus the King by Sophocles tells the tale of a famous king, Oedipus. Oedipus is the perfect example of a Greek tragic hero. A Greek tragic hero is a person whose fate is predetermined by the gods which will cause the person great suffering and lead to their ultimate destruction (). The hero tries to fight against his fate and win the god’s admiration. Oedipus is the king of Thebes but he was raised in Corinth by Merope and Polybus. Oedipus once solved the riddle of the sphinx,

  • Light And Blindness In Oedipus Rex

    856 Words  | 4 Pages

    “I see”, says the Blind Man Oedipus Rex is a classic Greek play written by Sophocles, one of the most celebrated dramatists from Athens. It is one of the seven surviving plays of Sophocles, all of which end in a tragedy. The play Oedipus Rex, written by Sophocles, is a play filled with symbols and irony involving the aspect of both light and blindness. Now, as the question poses, Is the play about ‘blindness’ or ‘light’? To which we can argue that both these terms can be have several interpretations

  • Oedipus Character Analysis

    1224 Words  | 5 Pages

    The play Oedipus is a tragic the bean play written by Sophocles, in which the main characters, King Oedipus is considered to be tragic hero. According to the philosopher Aristotle’s, a tragic hero is “Virtuous man whose misfortune is brought about not by depravity, but by some error or frailty”. The statement means that the character is neither good of bad, simply decent, but eventually he will commit a mistake, often referred by the author as Hamartia, a tragic flaw. In the play, the author utilizes

  • Caesar And Brutus: A Tragic Hero

    876 Words  | 4 Pages

    Caesar and Brutus have a tragic flaw that causes them to collapse in all directions, and die. However, Brutus fits the definition of a more tragic hero than Caesar. Because of his personality, and his heart, he is a hero, and a good person. He is much better than Caesar. Brutus’ only flaw is innocence, so that he believes in others, it makes him suffer in his heart, and he could not forget for the rest of his life. Sometimes human life is like a game, only a mistake leads to many failures. Brutus

  • Examples Of Tragic Hero In Creon

    734 Words  | 3 Pages

    Antigone is one of the greatest tragedies ever written by Sophocles. There is a controversial question about this play: Who is the tragic hero? Could it be Antigone or Creon? Even though the play’s name is Antigone, but as I read the story. A sensible and responsible king, Creon, is a tragic hero because of his power madness, self-righteousness, and ruthlessness. He is the center of the play, which causes events to happen. The first tragic fall that leads Creon to his downfall is his power madness

  • Okonkwo Tragic Hero Analysis

    881 Words  | 4 Pages

    the traces of epic hero while in other parts touches the tragic hero characteristics. However Okonkwo 's suicide in the end turns the table to reader to view him through different lens than epic hero or tragic hero. According to Aristotle in his poetics, the tragic hero is an intermediate person who is filled with tragic flaw(hubris /hamartia) (Butcher, 2000). It is due to his hubris or hamartia , he commits a crime. He then undergoes through pain and suffering and learns a fundamental truth of life