Tolomeo+11.2.09

__Bad things (and one good thing)__ Dr. Nicosia did not have a good morning. L Cheesy videotape by the Standard Deviants did not work Yet another Freeman fire

Christmas is in 51 days!

Aristotelian Greek Tragedy – analysis of Greek tragedy, Aristotle’s analysis of tragedy
 * Aristotle**

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Aristotle analyzed the tragedies and found elements of each that were the same to make a successful //The Poetics// – by Aristotle, written in 4th Century BC, elements of drama, controversy Used //Oedipus Rex// to illustrate his analysis Did not lay down strict rules, more like cookbook than textbook Guide to Sophoclean tragedy
 * __//THE ELEMENTS OF TRAGEDY ARE REALLY IMPORTANT, WE’RE GOING TO NEED TO KNOW THEM FOR EXAM//__**


 * Structure of the Greek Tragic Play** – similar but not exactly the same as Shakespearean

1. __Invocation__ – first few lines to invoke the muse, celebration to Dionysus, even tragedy is a celebration Every tragedy is a celebration; catharsis is a powerful emotional feeling Similar to //Titanic// when everyone is crying Tragedy sometimes doesn’t work and becomes comedy Aristotle : without catharsis or epiphany it is unsuccessful

-is in the form of action, not narrative, through pity and fear that affect the purgation of emotions.
 * __Tragedy__**- imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude

Not about words, symbols, visual elements, or stage craft Tragedy is action of a certain magnitude that causes a purgation of emotion

Choice that the character has to make

//Death of a Salesman// Willy Lohman – senile, had an affair, no longer admired by his son //Romeo and Juliet// is a tragedy? Or no?

Action= **Praxis** – In the beginning of //Oedipus Rex// he finds out that there is a plague in Thebes because the gods are angry because murderer of King Laieus was not found. Oedipus’s motive is to find the slayer (intent is part of Praxis) and also finding him. Psyche perceives something it wants and moves towards it

Passion = **Pathos** -Passive, something happens to the character -Psyche suffers from something it cannot control or understand -Experiencing //pathetic// event

Trilogy //Oedipus Rex//, //Oedipus the Tyrant//, //Antigone//

You always seem to run right into the thing you’re trying to avoid Can’t avoid your fate One of elements of Aristotelian drama – sense of **dramatic irony** (audience knows something the characters know, privileges the audience above and beyond characters)

2. __Chorus__ - Tells the summary of story before the play -Story doesn’t matter, how it plays out matters -Group of people (started with 18) come marching in, stand off to the side, narrate the action or inform the audience (shrunk in size over time) -Sometimes faceless, wear masks Chorus represents community -Makes element of public catharsis important, narrating from social-communal aspect -Come back during the play, gives **dramatic irony**

Aristotle believed there are unities of place, time, and tone: Important that every play has and exhibits these unities, have to take place around the same geographic place, short time period (no flashbacks) Consistent and persistent feeling for the play

Aristotle – three elements of story-writing 1. Plotmaking 2. Character Delineation 3. Thought/language

__Catharsis__ – element of fear, “I’ll do anything so that doesn’t happen to me” Powerful mover of emotions A king can’t avoid it, how can it not happen to a common man? –It’s why Aristotle recommends for a tragic hero to be in high standing.