Aristotle: On Tragic Character (384-322 BC)

Evolution of tragedy: poets initially accepted whatever myths came to hand, but at the time of Aristotle, the finest tragedies were founded on the stories of a few (prominent) houses.

The Odyssey is not a tragedy and shouldn’t be viewed as one since the main characters do not die and those who were thought to be enemies leave the stage as friends.

Structure of tragedy: Structure should be complex, not simple

Representation of terrible and piteous events

Good men should not pass from happiness to misfortune (inspires neither pity nor fear, only revulsion) – this would be like Benvolio losing everything, suffering, and dying in the end – he’s too pure of a character for that to work.

Evil men should not pass from ill fortune to prosperity (most untragic plot of all – neither evokes sympathy nor stirs pity or fear) – this would be like Voldemort winning in the end, which would stink.

A wicked man should also not fall from prosperity into misfortune: would evoke sympathy; however…

·  Wouldn’t evoke pity (only felt for someone whose misfortune is undeserved)

·  Wouldn’t inspire fear (only felt for someone relatable, like ourselves)

·  So basically, a purely wicked protagonist also stinks and makes for a poor story

We’re left with the person who is between these extremes:

·  Not preeminent (perfect) in virtue and justice (so, he/she has flaws)

·  But does not fall into misfortune through vice or depravity, but because of some mistake

·  Someone from a prosperous family (like Oedipus)

Plot will be single in outcome, will consist of a change in fortune from prosperity to misfortune

4 things to aim at in tragic characters:

  1. They have to be good (in terms of moral choices)
  2. Can be any class and still be good (even though women are inferior and slaves are base, according to the ancient Greeks)
  3. They have to be appropriate (a woman shouldn’t be overly masculine and vice versa)
  4. They have to be life-like (which is different from good and appropriate)
  5. They have to be consistent (even if the person being portrayed is supposed to be inconsistent – he should be consistently inconsistent)

The plot should be probable and the characters should say and act however is necessary and probable (consistent with their characters)

The denouement should arise from the plot itself and not “from the machine” (deus ex machina): The machine is reserved for consequences of an action that a human can’t know or in the case of prophecies, etc. But nothing unreasonable or unrealistic should occur within the created framework of the play.

Follow the practice of portrait-painters who make their subjects realistic, but slightly better looking than they are. A playwright should depict flaws and virtues at the same time.