History, Theory, and Literature, Part 8

Question 1: Discuss the elements that compromise a tragedy.

Answer 1: A tragedy is a play in which a heroic character, through unfortunate circumstances or bad decisions, experiences a downfall. The unfortunate circumstances are usually orchestrated by the gods as a punishment for the sin of hubris, or the sin of pride. It is common for the hero to have a desire to attain some type of power that would akin them to a god; however, the constraints of mortality will not allow a human to achieve a goal or power that is reserved for gods. The hero in a tragedy is usually depicted as a likeable but flawed character. This character begins the tragedy as an ignorant being, goes through a major change, and is an enlightened being by the play’s end. The events that unfold are such that they change both the hero’s life and his way of thinking. The hero is not required to die in order to learn his lesson.

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Question 2: Discuss William Ridgeway’s theory on the origin of the tragedy.

Answer 2: In 1904, the interpretation of Aristotle’s origins of tragedy came into question. Scholars began to debate both Aristotle’s theory, as well as modern man’s interpretation of Aristotle’s theory. William Ridgeway, writer and scholar, published a book in which he presented the theory that tragedy had originated not from the worship of the god Dionysus, but from the worship of the dead. This idea completely changed the geographical origins of Aristotle’s theory because the worship of the dead was much more widespread than the worship of one particular god. Ridgeway believed that the cult of Dionysus was introduced to the city of Sicyon by statesman Cleisthenes. Ridgeway further explained that Dionysus was worshipped as a hero among the Greeks because he was a mortal man who became a saint and was elevated to god-like status. Ridgeway supported his theory by offering as evidence the fact that Dionysus, like most dead kings of the time, had an oracle within his temple. Based on this supposition, however, the worship of Dionysus is actually a worshipping of the dead, thereby validating the theories of both Aristotle and Ridgeway.

Question 3: Discuss the contributions to theatre made by Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides.

Answer 3: Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides are noted as the most famous of the Greek tragedians. Aeschylus is best known for his trilogy entitled The Oresteia, which is compromised of the plays Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers, and The Eumenides. Aeschylus became known as the father of Greek tragedy, as he pre-dated both Sophocles and Euripides. According to Aristotle, Aeschylus was responsible for changing the ancient form of the tragedy by adding a second actor, diminishing the participation of the chorus, and focusing on dialogue. Sophocles, known for his work Oedipus the King, heightened the tragic form by adding a third actor and downsizing the chorus to less than fifteen members. Euripides was the first playwright to allow women to act in tragedies.

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