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Aristotle’s Definition of Tragedy in The Poetics of Aristotle

In The Poetics of Aristotle, translated by Preston H. Epps, tragedy is defined as “an imitation, through action rather than narration, of a serious, complete, and ample action, …in which imitation there is also effected through pity and fear its catharsis of these similar emotions.” Aristotle believed there were six elements that comprised a tragedy: plot, character, thought, spectacle, diction, and music. The most important of these elements, according to Aristotle, is the plot. Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex provides an excellent illustration of the use of plot in a classical Greek tragedy. As for modern times, an attempt at an Aristotelian plot is illustrated in the 1990 movie Presumed Innocent.

There are many criteria that Aristotle sets for a tragic plot. One such criterion, is that the plot must have a beginning, middle, and end. The emphasis here is on the logic of connection. Sophocles has no trouble in connecting these points. The play begins with the plague in Thebes, and the need to release the city from the plague by the discovery and punishment of the guilty. The plays process is the process of the discovery; its end, the punishment. Sophocles makes his starting-point the moment of despair in the Thebans and their king’s brave determination to deal with it. The initial situation (the plague, the mourning and the royalty) is given immediately in dramatic terms. Thereafter, each step which Oedipus himself takes provides the occasion for revealing some part of the antecedent knowledge which is necessary to the process of discovery. And none of this information is needed for the grasping of the initial situation.

Aristotle also suggests that there are two types of a tragic plot: the simple and the complex plot. A simple plot is one that arises when the character reaches his misfortune without a reversal or recognition. A complex plot is one in which the tragic character finds his misfortune through a reversal or recognition. Oedipus Rex clearly falls in the category of the complex plot. The reversal in Oedipus Rex takes place when Tiresias, the messenger, comes to gladden Oedipus by telling him not to fear his mother and to telling him his identity. It does just the opposite of what it was intended. It eventually leads to Oedipus’ devastation. As for recognition, it can be defined as passing from good to bad fortune by means of shedding one’s ignorance. A prime example of this is when Oedipus learns that he has killed his father, and married his mother. Sophocles’ tragedy, as illustrated, is perhaps one of the best examples of containing a tragic plot.

In modern times, there a few clear examples of true Aristotelian tragedies. The movie, Presumed Innocent does not meet all aspects of a tragedy, but it does however, come close to portraying a tragic plot. The play starts out with the main character having an affair with a colleague. He is unaware that his wife knows of his affair. As the movie progresses, the mistress is killed, and the man is framed for the murder. His personal vendetta is finding the real murderer. As the movie concludes, the man is acquitted for the murder, and later finds out that his wife is the killer. One can draw parallels between the criteria of an Aristotelian plot and the plot of this movie. It does have a beginning, a middle, and an end. The beginning sets the stage for the wives jealousy and the mistress’ murder. The movies process involves the revealing of facts which points to the murderer. As the movie concludes, the tragedy becomes more apparent with the man’s recognition. He sheds his ignorance, and comes to realize that his wife has committed the murder. He chooses not to turn her in for the sake of their son. He does, however, have to live with the misfortune of knowing his wife is a murderer. This perhaps, can be categorized as a complex plot. As illustrated, the protagonist does indeed experience a recognition. For these reasons, one can loosely relate this movies plot to the Aristotelian plot. However, the movie should not be categorized as a tragedy, because the focus of the movie is not on the plot, but rather on the development of character.