...Poetry as Mimesis (Imitation) Aristotle defines all poetry as mimesis (imitation). In other words, poetry imitates nature, which is to say it imitates life, whether natural objects or human actions. For Aristotle, tragedy is an imitation of human action. The concept of art as imitation proved vastly influential in Western literature right up until the eighteenth century, when the Romantic age gave birth to the expressive theory, that poetry arises from the emotions, feelings and impressions of the artist. Aristotle insisted, perhaps consciously in opposition to Plato, that poetry represents something that is real, something that exists in the world. Whereas Plato believed that the poet was cut off from reality, Aristotle saw the poet’s act of imitation as directly connected to life itself, instead of an attempt to reach a larger ideal. In his analysis of the origins of poetry, Aristotle argues that imitation is natural to childhood, and children learn most of their first life lessons through the imitation of others. People are also naturally given to taking pleasure in imitation. Unity of Plot In his analysis of tragedy, Aristotle argues that the most important element is plot. Further, he insists on the necessity of unity in the plot. All the events portrayed must contribute to the plot. There must be no subplots or superfluous elements. Every element of the plot must work together to create a seamless whole. If any part were to be altered or withdrawn, this would leave...
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...Name: Instructor: Course: Date: Arthur, Miller, “Tragedy and Common man” & Aristotle Poetics A tragic hero according Aristotle’s Poetics, is an ideal noble man with a flaw. Oedipus fits into the context of a flawed man, a man with given stature, and catharsis that propel him into a tragic hero. Oedipus as a tragic hero is caring concerned king whom the people trusted and loved. However, his impulsive temper caused him to make mistakes. On, the other, hand, Willie Lowman was a tragic hero as he was ready to lay down his love for the love of his family. Miller gives the flawed sense of a tragic hero in the sense of personal dignity that Lowman is willing to fulfill even in his death. The characteristics that Miller offers in terms catharsis and stature fits Lowman, he involved himself in a car accident so that his son Biff could use the insurance money to start a business and become a successful person in the society. This paper will discuss Willie Lowman, and Oedipus, as tragic heroes based on the stature, tragic flaw, and catharsis in their respective stories. A tragic hero according to Miller is a common person as opposed to the belief that a tragic hero must be a form of a king. He says, “we are often held to be below tragedy or tragedy below us……… that tragedy fits only for the highly placed… where this admission is not made in so many words it is often implied.” A tragic hero, therefore, is a common and both a highly placed person in the society. The belief that...
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...Introduction Doctor Faustus, a unique creation of Christopher Marlowe, conveys a deep conception of tragedy. In awe inspiring and terror, the play fulfils one of the true functions of tragedy. It thrills us because there is something of the ‘desire of the moth for the star’ of Faustus’s desire to conquer human limitation, in all of us, and we are fascinated by the audacity with which he persists in his desperate course. Extraordinary Courage and Indomitable Will Doctor Faustus deals with the heroic struggle of a ‘great souled’ man doomed to inevitable defeat. The entire interest in a Marlovian tragedy centres round the personality of the hero, and the pleasure comes from watching the greatness and fall of a superhuman personality. And ordinary German scholar, in the beginning, Faustus’s intellectual endowment raises him to the status of a great hero. He has the genuine passion for knowledge infinite. With his inordinate ambition he soars beyond the petty possibilities of humanity, leagues himself with superhuman powers and rides through space in a fiery chariot exploring the secrets of the universe. Marlowe’s Faustus aspires to be more than man and therefore repudiates his humanity and rebels against the ultimate reality. Being a true Renaissance hero, he surpasses his mortal bounds to be as powerful on earth as Jove in sky. He finds some hope only in Necromancy. He, therefore, turns to Magic and is elated by its prospects of profit, delight, power, honour, for: All things...
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...Catharsis Los tres grandes is a term used to refer to three of the major painters during the Mexican muralist movement. The three major figures included David Alfaro Siqueiros, Diego Rivera and Jose Clemente Orozco. The Mexican muralist movement was a time after the Mexican Revolution where these three painters used their art to depict what was going on in the nation in an attempt to reunify its people. One thing that stood out to me is the catharsis painted by Jose Clemente Orozco. It is located at the Museum of the Palace of Fine Arts in Mexico City and was painted in 1934. While this painting has very vivid details and numerous things going on, it corresponds with the ideas expressed by Jose Vasconcelo in the comic race. Vasconcelo felt...
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...In his many theories of literature, Greek philosopher Aristotle frequently referenced the principle of catharsis, the purgation of excessive emotions into an intermediate state. Additionally, the formidable playwright metaphorically compared this component’s impact on the soul to medicine on the human body. Consequently, throughout time, people regarded tragedies, including Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, as a mechanism to achieve this psychological disposition. Using Aristotelian theory, one can experience and understand the implementation of catharsis in Oedipus Rex through the elements of a tragic hero, peripeteia and anagnorisis, and the ultimate pathos. Contrary to a traditional protagonist, a tragic hero faces eventual downfall through unavoidable fate and his devastating hamartia. Utilizing Sophocles' Oedipus Rex as the ideal demonstration, Aristotelian theory outlines the elements of a tragedy. Therefore, Oedipus exhibits a fatal inadequacy in his overconfidence, specifically when he accidentally murders King Laius, his father, at the crossroads in an outburst of arrogance. Consequently, his insufficient knowledge and carelessness sanction the audience to gain wisdom through reflection of their own misunderstandings, therefore allowing for catharsis through...
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...Catharsis(es) In Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. Is there a catharsis in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close? If so, when does it happen for Oskar, and if applicable for the reader? Discuss. To discuss whether there are catharsises and if so where, it is important to have a clear definition of ‘catharsis’, so there can be no confusion. According to ‘Oxford’s: Literature Criticism and Style’ a catharsis is: “The purging of emotions which takes place at the end of a tragedy.” A good catharsis closes a story and does not leave the audience, or reader with questions. According to the Oxford definition of a catharsis, it is important to determine whether Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is a tragedy, but for this essay, the focus will be on the purging of emotions and the closed ending. First of all for Oskar. On one hand there is a catharsis for Oskar. There are two moments where there could be a catharsis for Oskar. The first possible catharsis is on page 315. On this page Oskar opens up to Ron for the first time. Ron explains that he had a family, but they died. There is a small purging of emotions by Ron. Oskar opens up to Ron, which suggests he accepts that he is there. The acceptance is very important for a catharsis. Acceptance is important, because it creates a closed ending. The acceptance is also important in the second possible catharsis for Oskar, which starts on page 324. The last couple of pages are filled with the purging of emotions, which is a characteristic...
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...have a true tragedy, there must be a tragic hero, along with a tragic flaw, and a catharsis. Below, one can learn what a tragedy is and how Hamlet fits this genre. In order to call Hamlet a tragedy one must know the meaning of tragedy. The Oxford English dictionary defines a tragedy as a serious play with an unhappy ending, especially one concerning the downfall of the main character. Every tragedy should have a tragic hero. The tragic hero is often the protagonist in a play. The great philosopher Aristotle defines a tragic hero as a man of noble stature who is admired by society but flawed. The flaw in the hero is a key component to the play. It is often what makes or breaks the character. Many times the flaw in the character is what causes the turmoil. It is safe to say that every tragedy has a tragic hero and every tragic hero has a flaw. The imperfection in the character enables the audience to see eye to eye with the character. The audience is able to see that everybody has their imperfections. Just as our flaws can sometimes lead us into trouble, we can see how the protagonist has to face the same issues. Another key component that every tragedy should have is a catharsis. Catharsis comes from a Greek word meaning purification or cleansing. A catharsis is the emotional climax of the play. It can be said that this is the lesson that the audience can take away from the play. A catharsis is what the audience feels for the protagonist. It must bring out the emotions of...
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...that Tom Stall is stalling the truth about his identity from all of those around him, including his immediate family. He is stalling from this very large secret he keeps inside of him from getting out. Violence is prevalent throughout the film. This movie raises many questions about violence and the idea of catharsis. During the film, the main character emotionally cleanses his past demons by changing his former identity to a new man of different morals. In real life, there is a lot of controversy about whether anger, rage, and fighting is a healthy form of catharsis. The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language defines the word catharsis as “a purifying or figurative cleansing of the emotions, especially pity and fear, described by Aristotle as an effect of tragic drama on its audience.” Another definition it gives us is “A release of emotional tension, as after an overwhelming experience, that restores or refreshes the spirit.”(The American Heritage Dictionary of the English 2 Language) However in drama, catharsis takes on somewhat of a different meaning. At the end of...
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...Which Play is More Tragic: Hamlet or Agamemnon In my opinion, the play Hamlet is more tragic than Agamemnon. They are both tragedies as they both fulfill Aristotle’s definition of tragedy as they both depict the downfall of a basically good person through some fatal error or misjudgment, which produces suffering and insight on the part of the protagonist and arousing pity and fear on the part of the audience. They also have all the elements of Greek tragedy such as hubris, catharsis, peripeteia, anagnorisis, and hamartia (“Ancient Greek Tragedy”). The most important reason that Hamlet is more tragic, in my opinion, is because the protagonist, Hamlet, is an integral part of the play and his character is much more developed. In Agamemnon , the protagonist, Agamemnon, is a secondary character to his wife who, in my opinion is the main character. Hamlet is a tragic hero, as is Agamemnon, following Aristotle’s criteria for the elements of a tragic hero. For example, they both evoke the audience’s pity and fear, have a major flaw of character and are destined to fall in some way (“Tragedy in Drama”). However, because Hamlet is the main character, we see, hear and understand more of his character. When Hamlet delivers his many dramatic soliloquies about mortality, betrayal, and the futility of life, he shows us his tortured world and the anguish, grief, and uncertainty which eventually takes over his life, leading to his death (“Hamlet Tone”). As the reader, I felt so much sympathy...
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...A Catharsis for All Henry Louis Mencken’s essay, entitled "The Penalty of Death," is a persuasive essay about the death penalty. The author does not attempt to alter the reader’s opinion as to the merits of the death penalty. He attempts to answer two questions most commonly heard in his day. First, executing a person is a terrible business and it “degrades” (Mencken) those whom-ever choose to administer this style of justice as a profession. He addresses this first question by simply agreeing with it. Most people would agree that the prospect of being the hangman is a vocation that would be most unpleasant. He points out that although it may be unpleasant, it is still necessary for society to support such a profession. The second question he addresses is to those that view capital punishment as a useless deterrent to crime. The author contends that those who wish to abolish the death sentence are in error if their assumption is founded solely upon the mistaken belief that the “whole purpose” of punishing a criminal is to deter some potential future crime. Mencken believes that they are “confusing [a] part with the whole” (Mencken). The future deterrent is only a part of the “whole purpose” of punishing a criminal. There are many more reasons to list: like revenge, justice, or relief just to name a few. Mencken's primary purpose is to identify the motive for this type of punishment. He identifies this motive as a catharsis, and he describes it as a "healthy letting out of...
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...Othello: Tragic Hero? I. Introduction Thesis statement A. Thesis Statement II. Brief overview of Othello III. Aristotle and Othello A. Peripeteia B. Hamartia C. Anagnorsis D. Catharsis IV. Othello a tragic hero? A. Evidence supporting B. Not supporting V. Brief overview of “O” A. Comparison to original VI. Conclusion THESIS STATEMENT: Othello is a tragic hero because he mostly satisfies Aristotle’s four requirements for a tragic hero: peripeteia, hamartia, anagnorsis, and catharsis. Othello: Tragic Hero? The tragic play Othello, written by William Shakespeare has caused constant dispute on whether the main character Othello can be considered as a tragic hero or not. Othello is a tragic hero because he mostly satisfies Aristotle’s four requirements for a tragic hero: peripeteia, hamartia, anagnorsis, and catharsis. The exploration of different aspects of the Othello character will give the readers of this essay insight regarding whether Othello is a tragic hero. Also the recent remake of the story, O, gives a more modern insight into how the character can be classified as a tragic hero. Othello, one of many...
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...she claims “one cannot have both compassion and innocence” as a result of her malicious actions against Miss Lottie. The innocent does not have compassion displayed through Lizabeth’s reversal and catharsis. Lizabeth’s reversal occurs at the realization that the world “lost its boundary lines” (P.4) seeing the difference between her beliefs and reality. “Boundary lines” symbolize her belief that her father is the strength while her mother is the support. Lizabeth’s world shakes when these beliefs are “lost” or reversed from what she had known. The pent up emotions led up...
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...Violent Computer Games What effects do such games have on aggression? Theoretical approaches • Idea of catharsis: “The occurrence of any act of aggression is assumed to reduce the instigation to aggress.” (Dollard et al., 1939; p. 50) further violence is less likely • • The frustration-aggression hypothesis (Dollard et al., 1939) Unspecific release of aggressive energy (Lorenz, 1974) Exemplary Evidence - Violent Computer Games • Watching a trailer for a violent computer game causes higher aggression-related judgments (Möller & Krahé, 2006) Playing violent computer games increases hostility (Anderson & Ford, 1986) • • Playing violent computer games increases the accessibility of aggression-related constructs and aggressive behavior (Anderson & Dill, 2000) No valid empirical evidence for catharsis after violent computer games. Accessibility from Semantic Sources • • Subliminally primed aggression-related constructs lead to higher aggressiveness ratings. (Bargh & Pietromonaco, 1982) Unconsciously activated aggression causes more aggressive behavior. (Bargh, Chen, & Burrows, 1996) Weapon effect: Presence of aggression-related cues increases accessibility of aggression-related constructs. (Berkowitz & LePage, 1967; Anderson, Benjamin, & Bartholow, 1998) • Accessible aggressive constructs influence aggressionrelated judgments and aggressive behavior. Recent and frequent construct use determine accessibility. Accessibility from Goals Construct...
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...definitionS of Pragmatic, Pragmatism, and the Pragmatic Theory of Drama in Plato and Aristotle. A University of Lagos, M.A Seminar Work By Larayetan, Raphael Segun, (Mat. No.139013058) COURSE: Theory of Drama LECTURER: Dr. Patrick Oloko Introduction: This paper attempts an exploration of pragmatics, pragmatism and pragmatic theory as perceived by scholars from different intellectual tradition with focus on drama as a genre of literature. From the classic to the contemporary period, dramatic theorists and dramatists have been involved in the polemics on functions of drama, whether it is an instrument of communicating ideas or just a genre of literature that only entertains. Whether drama entertains or bears the ideological or moral burdens which the author through his art intends to pass to the readers, drama unequivocally has a function which, according to Philip Sidney, is to “teach and to delight”. With this in mind, it can be established that every piece of drama sets out to achieve a function though critics and dramatists have disagreed on what the ideal function of drama should be. It is this light that the current paper explores the pragmatic theory of drama in Plato and Aristotle, or, simply put; how Plato and Aristotle perceive the ideal function of drama. Definition of Terms: Pragmatism is a theory that emphasises the dual function of a work of art. It stipulates the heuristic function...
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...During the past two weeks, our American Literature class has covered the short stories of The Fall of the House of Usher, The Minister’s Black Veil and Rappaccini’s Daughter. These poems/stories were constructed by two well-known authors: Edgar Allen Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne. Each poem and story written by these two men contains an intricately, deep meaning. In fact, criticizers maintain the position that there are several meanings to these works, but this may never be known by anyone except the actual author. The author is the only individual who truly knows the real meaning behind the poem or story. Out of these three stories we read, I enjoyed The Fall of the House of Usher the most as it proved to be most interesting to me. The reason I enjoyed this work the most was due to the fact that I was transacting with the text in this poem, I was able to really understand why Poe utilized certain elements in it in order to help convey the work’s actual meaning. It also helped to raise logical questions about certain other aspects of the story. I did not feel I was able to do this as well with the other two stories as they did not flow as well to me as did The Fall of the House of Usher. Though the plot turned out to be quite unusual, I found it to be very interesting and out of the ordinary, which I seemed to like in this instance. The book ends with an unexpected surprise and by the fall of the house of course. The theme is really dark and mysterious, which made the book kind...
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