The Differences between Aristotelian and Shakespearean

Poetics

Corinne Baldwin - C.A.P.E. Unit 2

Definition based on Aristotle’s Theory:

“Tragedy is a story of exceptional calamity leading to the death of a man in high estate”

nothing of the norm in circumstances nobility/leadership death as outcome

Corinne Baldwin - C.A.P.E. Unit 2

Tragic drama

“through pity and fear, accomplishes the catharsis of such emotions”

evoked through the dramatic spectacle audience sees the worst/best in mankind

Corinne Baldwin - C.A.P.E. Unit 2

Tragic drama

is an “imitation” of life held up to the view of an audience

reflection of what is true holds a mirror to society the world of the play – microcosmic

Corinne Baldwin - C.A.P.E. Unit 2

Tragic drama

“an imitation of superior action”:

actions of those who hold high office actions could impact on a society at large more evocative dramatic spectacle

Corinne Baldwin - C.A.P.E. Unit 2

The dramatic tragedy (Aristotle):

the story of one person – the hero the plot steers events toward hero’s death complications/developments in the plot

serve the main – no subplots the hero is someone of high rank/distinction

[comedy looked at the travails of the common man]

Corinne Baldwin - C.A.P.E. Unit 2

The suffering of the Hero (Aristotle):

takes him from a state of greatness to ignominy (focus: how the mighty can fall)

all-encompassing, affecting and impacting on others in the society

the pervasive scope of such suffering elicits pathos more effectively

Corinne Baldwin - C.A.P.E. Unit 2

The action of the Aristotelian tragedy centralised the “Reversal of Fortune”:

man was subject to the whims of higher powers/otherworldly forces

main interest unsettling to contemplate man’s fate in an arbitrary universe

the hero’s lot seemed tragically destined from the start (the odds were already against him)

Corinne Baldwin - C.A.P.E. Unit 2

Shakespeare’s concept of what constituted the tragic in life

took the notion of destiny and fates as utilitarian – a dialogic motif to add intrigue

advanced the view of how great men’s actions determine the outcomes of their own lives

the hero is a more sympathetic to an audience which recognises his part in his fate

Corinne Baldwin - C.A.P.E. Unit 2

Though there are otherworldly forces at work in many of the Great Tragedies:

the apparitions and hallucinations that afflict the hero are really shown as the outcome of conflict within him

the “ghosts of the brain” were manifestations of a conscience at battle with ambitions or ideas he should not entertain

Corinne Baldwin - C.A.P.E. Unit 2

The workings of otherworldly forces in Othello are more symbolic

the mention of magic and witchcraft to underpin common ideas about “the other”

underscores the playwright’s thematic focus on darkness/the darker side of man’s nature

Corinne Baldwin - C.A.P.E. Unit 2

In the Greek plays, Accident (premised on the machinations of Fate) - major part in the action

Shakespearean action could not subsist entirely on circumstances beyond human control

Accidents create suspense at points – man’s vulnerability to the workings of the universe

Corinne Baldwin - C.A.P.E. Unit 2

The Shakespearean hero was beset by conflict internally & externally:

hero facing his foe un-conflicted - not dramatically interesting

concept of man as the master of his own destiny – consequences of free will

Corinne Baldwin - C.A.P.E. Unit 2

The Shakespearean hero was beset by conflict internally & externally:

the dramatic action advances the plot in two ways – the bases for the internal struggle with the self - the external antagonism

Corinne Baldwin - C.A.P.E. Unit 2

The Internal Struggle within the protagonist reveals the “fatal flaw” (hamartia); usually this flaw takes the form of

hubris (arrogance)

blindness to the dangers posed by others (stemming from pride)

overreaching ambition

Corinne Baldwin - C.A.P.E. Unit 2

The main reason why this internal conflict takes place is the very same flaw is the quality that makes the hero great:

The very same convictions and ideas he sees as being righteous and applicable are the ones that lead to the circumstances he has struggled to avoid

Many of the heroes in the great tragedies, guided by influence or pride, misjudge situations and people

Corinne Baldwin - C.A.P.E. Unit 2

In this way, the mortality of the hero evokes pity for him as he falls by his own hands; indeed this makes for a more impactful spectacle that resonates with the viewing audience

It is more difficult to be at odds with a hero who is by status and station superior, and by nature identifiably human

Corinne Baldwin - C.A.P.E. Unit 2

The internal conflict is even more intriguing for the audience as some of the tragic heroes are afflicted by their awareness of where they are being remiss/acting out of character

However, they are still compelled to pursue their desires or act in ways that confirm their beliefs – they must finish what they start as the error shapes their destiny

Corinne Baldwin - C.A.P.E. Unit 2

In the Greek tragedy the dramatic reversal (peripeteia) changes circumstances in completely unexpected ways for the hero – an obstacle that is impossible to overcome

In Shakespearean tragedy, the reversal occurs via a revelation that alters the hero’s perception of his circumstances – the obstacle to action that would set things right is mainly in his psyche

Corinne Baldwin - C.A.P.E. Unit 2

The reversal for the hero brings about a recognition of some aspect of himself/others that was hitherto not obvious to him

The spectacle of the reversal as it radically alters the character affects the audience in two ways:

creates intrigue via dramatic irony encourages speculation about the outcome

(hope against hope)

Corinne Baldwin - C.A.P.E. Unit 2

The catharsis the playwright is aiming for can only work for his audience if the hero dies by his own actions just as he errs by his own thoughts

The expurgation of Fear and Pity takes place only if the audience sees the death of the hero as the only possible solution for the problems that evolve

Corinne Baldwin - C.A.P.E. Unit 2

The poetics of tragedy can only be successful if there is restoration of civil order and the essential goodness in man is no longer dysfunctional because of conflicts internal and external

This “moral” order is presented as the basis for everyone’s conduct and thinking at the beginning of play (though there may be hints that such harmony and balance can be threatened)

Corinne Baldwin - C.A.P.E. Unit 2

This order is a power in itself that the hero, by speech and actions, embodies then acts against – resulting in the internal struggle that he loses

The chaos that starts with the Head (of state) eventually threatens the rest of the body (politic)

Subverting the moral order creates upheaval for all concerned, therefore the death of the hero is a kind of symbolic “blood-letting” – removing the source of disorder

Corinne Baldwin - C.A.P.E. Unit 2

Though the audience feels pity for the hero they accept that order has been restored

The audience’s sense of awe and sadness emerge from their view of how the mighty can fall from grace

The end, though fearsome and evoking pity, is to the audience’s satisfaction as it meets the means by which the hero arrives at his fate

In this way the conclusion is sad for the hero, but hopeful for the audience

Corinne Baldwin - C.A.P.E. Unit 2

By definition:

Shakespearean tragedy is the story of an exceptional man whose actions result in calamitous circumstances for himself and others, resulting in the man’s tragic death.

Corinne Baldwin - C.A.P.E. Unit 2