It is clearly seen that Aristotle was more interested in tragedy rather than comedy or epic. In his Poetics, he compares tragedy to such other metrical forms as comedy and epic. Aristotle identifies tragedy as the most refined version of poetry dealing with lofty matters He traces a brief and speculative history of tragedy as it evolved from dithyrambic hymns in praise of the god Dionysus. He defines tragedy as –
“Tragedy then is an imitation of an action, that is serious, complete and of a certain magnitude, the language embellished with each kind artistic ornaments, the several kind being found of in separate part of the play, in form of action not narrative, through the pity and fear, effecting a proper purigation of these harmful emotions…”
Aristotle’s Definition of Tragedy can be divided in to two parts – the first part of the definition deals with the nature of the tragedy which including first three clauses. The first part of the definition discusses the following three aspects:
(i) The Object: The nature of tragedy is defined by what is imitated.
(ii) The Medium: By that in which imitation occurs.
(iii) The manner: How the imitation occurs.
The second part of the definition describes the function of tragedy. The function of tragedy is ‘Katharsis’ (catharsis), which Aristotle did not care to explain it in detail.
Aristotle says that tragedy is an imitation of an action. The action of tragedy should be serious and complete and of certain magnitude. The language of tragedy should be embellished (decorated) with the each kind of ornaments. Its various ingredients (components) should be traced separately. The form of tragedy should not be narrative. The tragedy should be presented in such a way that it can arouse pity and fear. It should be capable of effecting proper ‘catharsis’ or a purgation of fear and pity.
Thus, Aristotle’s definition of tragedy indicated several elements of tragedy. According to him a tragedy consists of six elements. They are as under:
(1) Plot (2) Character (3) Thought (4) Diction (5) Songs/Melody (6) Spectacle
Let’s discuss elements of tragedy in brief:
Plot:
Aristotle has regarded the plot as the most important I tragedy. Plot means the arrangement of the incidents or situation. He says that tragedy is an imitation but not a men but an imitation of action and life, of happiness and misery. And life consists of action, and its end is a mode of activity, not a quality. Without plot there cannot be tragedy. And so Aristotle says that –
“Plot is the soul of the tragedy.”
Aristotle goes on to discuss the structure of the ideal tragic plot and spends several chapters on its requirements. He says that the plot must be a complete whole — with a definite beginning, middle, and end — and its length should be such that the spectators can comprehend without difficulty both its separate parts and its overall unity. Moreover, the plot requires a single central theme in which all the elements are logically related to demonstrate the change in the protagonist's fortunes, with emphasis on the dramatic causation and probability of the events. In short plot must contain a powerful appeal to the emotion of pity and fear. The plot is the first principle in tragedy.
Character:
character determines men's qualities, but it is their action that makes them happy or wretched. The purpose of action in the tragedy, therefore, is not the representation of character: character comes in as contributing to the action. Hence the incidents and the plot are the end of the tragedy; and the end is the chief thing of all. Without action there cannot be a tragedy; there may be one without character. . . . The plot, then, is the first principle, and, as it were, the soul of a tragedy: character holds the second place.
Aristotle has given four types of hero and the characteristics:
a) A good man-coming to bad end,
b) A bad man-coming to good end,
c) A bad man-coming to bad end,
d) A rather good man-coming to bad end.
He gives the idea about error of judgment. Just one weakness in the hero's character makes his downfall. That character's misfortune effects the entire people staying round about him. Aristotle terms it as “Hamartia”. Later A.C. Bradley translates it as “Tragic Flaw”. Thus, the character is second important element of tragedy. The character of tragedy must be good and appropriate; character should be real and they may be like reality in action
Thought:
Concerning Thought, we may assume what is said in the Rhetoric, to which inquiry the subject more strictly belongs. Under Thought is included every effect which has to be produced by speech, the subdivisions being,--proof and refutation; the excitation of the feelings, such as pity, fear, anger, and the like; the suggestion of importance or its opposite. Now, it is evident that the dramatic incidents must be treated from the same points of view as the dramatic speeches, when the object is to evoke the sense of pity, fear, importance, or probability. The only difference is, that the incidents should speak for themselves without verbal exposition; while the effects aimed at in speech should be produced by the speaker, and as a result of the speech. For what were the business of a speaker, if the Thought were revealed quite apart from what he says?
Diction:
Next, as regards Diction. One branch of the inquiry treats of the Modes of Utterance. But this province of knowledge belongs to the art of Delivery and to the masters of that science. It includes, for instance,--what is a command, a prayer, a statement, a threat, a question, an answer, and so forth. To know or not to know these things involves no serious censure upon the poet's art. For who can admit the fault imputed to Homer by Protagoras,--that in the words, 'Sing, goddess, of the wrath,' he gives a command under the idea that he utters a prayer? For to tell some one to do a thing or not to do it is, he says, a command. We may, therefore, pass this over as an inquiry that belongs to another art, not to poetry.
Songs/Melody:
Song is one of these embellishments. Aristotle says that the chorus should have importance like the actor. They should integrate into the play like an actor. It should have contribution to the plot of the play. Its purpose is also to evoke or intensify the emotion of the audience. It was a necessary part in Greek drama.
Spectacle:
The spectacle is the pleasure of tragedy. Spectacle is the overall visual appearance of the stage and the actor. ''the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the port.'' It is related with the stage performance. But he also says that those who rely on spectacle create a sense which is not of the terrible, but only of the monstrous effect.
