Copied below is a complete, anonymous essay responding to the midterm assignment, which is copied at the end of the essay. The primary purpose of this posting is so that present and future students may see a model of outstanding work in fulfillment of this assignment.

LITR 4533

Midterm Exam

June 13, 2002

Beginning time:         9:05 AM

Ending time:              11:45 AM

            Great literature is those works whose appeal transcends time, the books that we come back to time and again for discussion and insight.  Aristotle asserts that art is an imitation of life. With its complexity of character and realistic portrayal of humanity, tragedy is the genre of literature that most realistically portrays the rhythms and intricacies of our lives and should be considered the greatest literary genre of Western civilization.

            Literature is often broadly classified into genres.  Genre is a way of organizing literature by examining some aspect of the work and using this characteristic to categorize it.  In this course, we have examined three basic ways of classifying literature into genres: representational genre, narrative genre, and subject genre.

Representational genre uses the “number and types of voices” (handout) to organize literature.  Narrator or “single voice” literature is written so that the speaker is directly addressing the audience.  The lyric poem “1” by Sappho presented to the class by Kelly Tumy is an example of the narrator form of genre. The speaker is aware of the audience and, although it is written in the form of a prayer to Aphrodite, there is not the expectation that she will reply. Drama or Dialogue literature is written as two or more characters speaking directly to each other with the audience overhearing their conversation. Hamlet, Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Desire Under the Elms are all written in this style of representational drama, as are most plays and movies.  It is as though the audience is eavesdropping on the action of the characters, as they remain unaware of the audience. Narrator plus Dialogue literature is written so that a narrator speaks directly to the audience but two or more characters are also speaking directly with each other.  The movie previews presentation by Burney Young are an example of this type of representational genre.  The narrator explains or comments on the actions of the characters in the drama who remain unaware of the audience.

            Genre may also be classified by its narrative, or storyline.  According to Northrop Frye in Anatomy of Criticism (handout), there are four basic story lines: tragedy, comedy, romance and satire.  Story lines usually involve a problem of some type as, without a problem, there would be nothing interesting to write about.  The nature of the problem and the way in which it is resolved determines the genre of the narrative. 

Tragedies begin with a problem that is “significant to society, its leaders, or its representatives” (handout).  The resolution of the problem usually involves discovering the truth about a situation, restoring moral control, or attaining justice and the concluding action often ends in death, banishment, or separation. Oedipus Rex is the classic example of tragedy in its purest form.  The kingdom of Thebes is beset by a plague and Oedipus, their king, is determined to ascertain the cause of their misfortune.  His search for the truth leads him to discover that it is his own actions that have brought these troubles to his city.  The play concludes with Oedipus blinding himself and his exile from Thebes and the implication is that this banishment will result in the plague being lifted from Thebes. 

Comedies also begin with a problem but it is of significantly less importance than those addressed in tragedy and the audience does not worry about, or dwell on, the problem.  The problem often involves a mistaken identity and the humor revolves upon the resolution of this misunderstanding. The concluding action of a comedy usually involves disguises being discovered, characters joining in marriage or songs and dances.  The problems are resolved and they live “happily ever after”.  Midsummer Night’s Dream is a classic example of a comedy. The play begins with a number of different problems that need to be resolved, but none of them is of such importance that the audience would feel overly worried about them. Hermia’s father has vetoed her plans for marrying Lysander.  Demetrius, whom Helena is in love with, loves Hermia but Hermia loves Lysander.  Oberon and Titania have been quarrelling over a changeling child and their quarrel has laid a plague over the land but it is dealt with in such a light manner that the audience does not overly concern themselves about it.  The action involves mistaken identities (as when Puck puts the love potion in the wrong Athenian’s eyes) and mystical potions that cause the characters to fall in love with other people.  The play concludes with the appropriate characters falling in love and getting married.  The fairy’s blessing assures the audience that the characters will have a good life.

Romances frequently involve a problem of separation.  It can involve lovers or family members.  The storyline often involves a physical journey or a personal transformation (handout) and can involve quests or tests of morality. Characters in a romance are usually classified as either entirely good or entirely bad.  The concluding action of a romance usually involves leaving the source of their problems and living happily ever after. The Tempest is a classic example of a romance.  Prospero and Miranda have been separated from their kingdom through the evil actions of Prospero’s brother Antonio.  After a long journey, the characters have shipwrecked on Prospero’s island.  He tests the sincerity of the character’s feelings and has his power restored.  The action concludes with a journey back to the mainland and the punishment of the evil characters and the happiness of the good characters.

Satires are another classification of narrative genre.  Satires involve a distortion or manipulation of a storyline that the audience is already familiar with.  They follow the basic storyline of a familiar tale but warp it enough to make it comic or less pretentious (handout).  A classic example of this genre is Airplane that spoofs the airport disaster movies.  It parodies the seriousness of these types of movies through its exaggeration and dead-pan seriousness.

Another way that literature can be classified into genres is through subject genre.  This type of classification system seeks to organize literature through its special interest or audience appeal.  This is the most commonly used genre.  It broadly classifies literature by the general content of the work.  Some examples of this type of genre would be “detective story” (Columbo), thriller (Hannibal), chick flick (Sleepless in Seattle), etc.  Works can also be classified by main actor (Bruce Lee film), or Director (Spike Lee).  What is important in this genre classification system is the content of the work rather than the form.

There are some major differences between Tragedy and the other forms of narrative genre.  Tragedies often concern a character of noble birth or high social position and the impact of their actions is of great importance to society as a whole.  The classical tragedy, Oedipus, revolves around the problems of King Oedipus.  The problems these great characters face affect all those around them.  The plague on the land is a result of his actions and his banishment will restore prosperity to the kingdom. Comedies and romances, on the other hand, do not necessarily involve characters of great societal importance, or at least their problems will not have a significant impact on society as a whole.  In Midsummer Night’s Dream, the fate of the kingdom will not be affected if Lysander and Hermia do not get married.  Although Titania and Oberon are of noble birth, the plague that their actions have caused to settle over the land is not treated as of great importance.  The main focus is on reuniting the appropriate lovers not restoring the equilibrium of nature.

Tragedy deals with characterization differently than Comedy or Romance.  Characters in Comedy or Romance tend to be one-dimensional.  They are either entirely good or entirely bad.  Characters do not have to be developed as much as they do in Tragedy because they are more stereotypical. In Midsummer Night’s Dream, the characters of the four young lovers are not very developed or highly differentiated.  It is easy to confuse them because they are not that different from each other. Tragedy, on the other hand, seeks to have multi-dimensional characters that have shades of gray within their souls.  They may be basically good people whose tragic flaw causes their downfall.  For example, Oedipus is respected throughout the land and is thought of as a good king.  He has tried to do the right thing and avoid the fate the oracle had foretold for him by leaving the parents he grew up with.  Yet, it is this overconfidence and attempt to outwit the fates that ultimately is his undoing – his tragic flaw.

How the problem is resolved is another major difference between Tragedy and the other genres.  Tragedy usually ends with death, banishment or separation. Although there may be a sense that all will be well for the society at large, this outcome can only come about through the suffering of the main character(s).  In Hamlet, all the main characters are dead at the end of the play:  Hamlet, Claudius, Polonius, Laertes, Gertrude, and Ophelia.  Yet the return of Fortinbras to once again rule the kingdom implies that the society as a whole will be better for it. Comedy, on the other hand, usually concludes with a marriage(s) or a restoration of unity.  The main characters are happier or better off than they were at the beginning of the play.  Again, in Midsummer Night’s Dream, the four couples are united at the end of the play and the fairy blessing ensures their happiness in the future.  A Romance also ends on an upbeat note.  The characters are reunited and often leave the scene of their difficulties for a better life.  In The Tempest, the characters leave the island where they have encountered all their troubles, for a better life in Milan.

The progression of the plot is integral to the success of a tragic work.  All the events must occur in exactly the right order in order for the tragedy to work.  Part of the appeal of Oedipus Rex lies in the manner in which Oedipus discovers the source of all his problems.  If he had been aware that he was murdering his father when he accosted King Laios, we would not be as sympathetic towards him.  If Hamlet had known that it was Polonius that he was murdering when he stabbed through the arras, we would feel differently towards him.  So, it is this precise unfolding of events and information to the audience that makes tragedies work. In comedy and romance, it is the general reuniting or unmasking of the disguise that makes that play work.  Because the characters are more stereotypical, we can make assumptions and inferences that move the plot along, with or without the help of the plot.

Tragedy, in contrast to comedy and romance, is often greatest during great and prosperous times in history.  As commented on in the web page midterm sample, this may come about because “the people during those times have a sense of confidence that they can handle the horror of tragedy” (page 6-midterm sample 2). Oedipus was written during the Golden Age of Greece, when their kingdom was expanding and they were world leaders.  Shakespeare, with his great tragedies, lived during the time of the Renaissance, when life was improving for many and great discoveries were being made.  Desire Under the Elms was written in the Early Modern Period, the time when America was making great strides in industrialization and prosperity and was expanding their world influence.  The general feeling of society during these times is one of well-being and superiority and the feelings engendered from Tragedy can be purged and managed best during these times.

Tragedy itself has changed throughout time. Tragedy, in its purest form, is exemplified in Oedipus Rex written around 5 BCE. The main character is of noble birth and it is the discovery of his tragic flaw and his ultimate banishment that resolves the action.  Justice is restored to the land and morality has been reinstated.  As our society has democratized, so has tragedy.  Shakespeare’s Hamlet, 1601, is another tragic hero but he is only a prince.  Cabot, in Desire Under the Elms (1924), is also a tragic hero but he is a poor farmer.  (Admittedly, he still appears to be above many of the other characters of the play because he is a landowner and they are not but he is no longer of noble birth).   Elements of other genres have also begun to creep into the tragic genre over the years.  Oedipus Rex, again, is tragedy in its purest form.  The plot and characterization exactly follow Aristotle’s description of the perfect tragedy.  In contrast, both Hamlet and Desire Under the Elms have elements of comedy in them.  Hamlet’s witty commentary lends some comic relief.  Cabot’s dancing is an exaggeration of body movement that is an element of comedy.  Food, a prop frequently associated with comedy, is seen in Desire Under the Elms through Simeon and Peter’s comments on eating bacon, the party scene and the scenes where the family is seen eating in the kitchen. 

Although tragedy has changed throughout the ages, it is still considered the greatest form of literature.  With its complexity of character, dependence on plot, and realistic portrayal of human life with all its ups and downs, tragedy is the genre to which we regularly return for debate and dialogue.  Just as in real life things are not always as they seem and there are no easy answers or “happily ever afters”, so it is with tragedy.  Through its credible portrayal of the human spirit, and the discussion and reflection thereof, we seek to better understand ourselves.

(Assignment)

Open-book, open-notebook exam.  You can use any relevant sources aside from direct coaching or contributions from another person.

Midterm Essay Assignment: Write a complete essay discussing and exploring the following assertion: “Tragedy is the greatest literary genre in western civilization.” Organize your essay and explain, defend, question, and/or challenge the assertion by developing the following sections:

·         Introduction setting up the assertion of tragedy as the greatest literary genre and your position or thesis on this assertion

·         The concept(s) of genre.

·         The major differences between Tragedy and other comparable genres, such as Comedy (especially) and Romance.

·         The evolution of tragedy in western civilization.

·         Conclude by refocusing on “greatest genre” assertion

Other requirements:

·         For examples, refer primarily to the four plays we’ve read: Oedipus Rex, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hamlet, and Desire Under the Elms.

·         Also refer briefly to at least two presentations.

·         You may also refer briefly to other examples of genres from your own experience beyond this course.

·         Refer to the webpage midterm samples at least once.

·         Even though there are several required subject areas, organize your exam as a single long essay centered on the “greatness” assertion. Make transitions and connections between parts.