Presentation Transcript
Classical and Modern Tragedy :Classical and Modern Tragedy Emperor Jones: The Tragic Hero
Emperor Jones:The Tragic Hero :Emperor Jones:The Tragic Hero Usually of high social status
The hero must “fall” from his high position
Suffers from a fatal character flaw
Aristotle called this flaw “hamartia”
Usually, the hero’s hamartia is pride or “hubris”
In modern tragedy, hamartia can be any character flaw that prevents the hero from being successful
Unlike the monomythic hero, the tragic hero is fated to perish
The Tragic Hero’s Ordeal/Journey :The Tragic Hero’s Ordeal/Journey At first, the hero believes he is invincible
However, the hero must suffer
Hero must experience “anagnorisis”
In other words, he must arrive at a recognition of his faults in order for his suffering to be meaningful
Climax :Climax After anagnorisis, the hero experiences “peripetiea” - a sudden reversal of fortune or circumstances
His “plans” completely fall apart
He reaches the “point of no return” - he is forced to complete his fatal journey
Catastrophe & Catharsis :Catastrophe & Catharsis The hero’s demise is called a “catastrophe”
The catastrophe must be total (complete) and fitting (well-deserved)
Aristotle believed that the purpose of tragedy was to purge the audience of negative emotions: “pity” and “fear”
He called this purgation “catharsis”
The audience experiences catharsis by “empathizing” with the fallen hero