Understanding Tragedy: Aristotle's Definition and Analysis

Aristotle's Definition of Tragedy

• Tragedy: Imitation of serious actions with direct consequences
• Plot: Complete, coherent whole with a reversal of fortune
• Language: Embellished with artistic ornament and poetic meters
• Mode of Imitation: Drama, not narrative
• Pity and Fear: Arouses these emotions in the audience
• Catharsis: Purification and relief of the audience's emotions

Aristotle's Definition of Tragedy

• Tragedy is a democratic, social institution in ancient Athens.
• It combines instruction and entertainment.
• Key figures in Athenian Tragedy: Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides.
• Only a few of their works have survived.

The Power of Tragedy

• Tragedy as a Political Tool: Tragedy in ancient Greece served as a platform for social and political criticism, educating and engaging citizens.
• Tragedy as a School of Democracy: The tragic theater discussed and reflected upon the political and moral issues of the Athenian Republic, acting as a 'think tank' for the time.
• Timeless Relevance: The works of ancient tragedians still resonate today, analyzing the human soul and addressing universal concerns.

Euripides' Eleni: The Futility of War

• «Fools who seek glory with spears and powerful poles in war, mistakenly thinking that in this way they will put an end to the plagues of mortals; for if you seek justice with blood, war will not be lacking from the world.»
• Twenty-five centuries have passed and mankind has failed to consolidate the word of the poet and is plunging in the absurdity of war.
• «Great suffering had desolated Greece. So many bodies thrown into the jaws of the sea, the jaws of the earth... all for a Helen (Eleni).»
• Euripides is tragically relevant. “Eleni” becomes a more relevant anti-war work with what is happening in the world today. Why do so many people die? For a cloud? For an empty shirt? The futility of war!