final exam assignment

LITR 4533 TRAGEDY  Final Exam Samples 2010 Essays & Excerpts on Part A: Overall Learning Experience

Daryl Edwards

Tragedy Reinforces Family Taboos

     Literature serves as a means of allowing man to contemplate issues and situations which are relevant to him, his surroundings, and his society. As Aristotle noted, genres in literature, “…are all in their general conception modes of imitation.” By this, he suggests that there is an element of mimeses inherent in literature, a case of art imitating life. No genre is more reflective of this than Tragedy, which seeks to encourage in its audience a contemplation of man’s actions that are of a greater moral magnitude.

     Tragedy in literature has been produced for thousands of years. It is significant to note that while the ages may change, Tragedy continues to be a relevant and powerful genre. The reason for this is that it presents us with complex issues which require us to respond internally in order to find some sense of resolution, or as Aristotle said, “…through pity and fear effecting the proper purgation of these emotions.” Tragedy serves as a vehicle which allows us to contend with matters of high order. It is not simple and requires from its audience a level of visceral participation, stimulating and evoking emotions we would perhaps rather not feel, while confronting issues we would rather not confront. The issue of incest for instance is the focus of Oedipus Rex. Thousands of years before Sigmund Freud postulated his theories of psycho analysis, the Greek play-writes were using literature as a means of engaging the audience on a social taboo. While not pontificating, the play presents a plot and resolution which serve to reinforce the moral and social restrictions on incest

     By using a kingly figure as the protagonist rather than an average man the play-write attempts to present what is presumably the best of man in all of his nobility. When the plot unfolds to show the tragic circumstances enveloping the hero we are led to understand that no one is above or beyond the reach of divine justice. In Oedipus Rex, Oedipus is a king who, having committed incest, finds his world crumbling around him. In this manner we are allowed to see this change of fortune, as a mighty man is laid low, brought from a position of prosperity to adversity. Jarred Goergen referred to this reversal of fortune in his “Family Matters” essay in 2008. The theme of incest is one revisited in other works of Tragedy. In Eugene O’Neill’s Desire Under the Elms, where a son sleeps with his step-mother, and Shakespeare’s Hamlet with it Oedipal undertones, both reference the topic, demonstrating how Tragedy is an art form which resonates throughout history by confronting topics and issues of moral and social significance.

     Tragedy concerns itself with issues which have social ramifications. In dealing with the oedipal issue, it serves to reinforce the taboo of incest. Tragedy is often concerned with Family dynamics. The family is considered to be the foundation of society. Therefore, issues which may adversely affect the family can potentially adversely affect society as a whole. The issue of adultery is also prominent in many tragedies. If marriage is considered sacred, then any violation of it, such as adultery, is tantamount to sacrilege. Still, infidelity is and has always been an issue for society. It is certainly mimeses when works such as O’Neill’s The Homecoming or Euripides’s Hippolytus confront the issue. By depicting such plots and their tragic outcomes, Tragedy solidifies the social more against such conduct.

     In conclusion, Tragedy can be regarded as the greatest genre for many reasons; it deals with subjects that have magnitude, issues which are complex, and people who are flawed. The reason it continues to resonate is because it appeals to us on a visceral level, we are compelled to empathize, fear, or pity the people and situations presented. The family usually serves as a central focus of such works of art because it is something with which we all may identify. For thousands of years Tragedy has served an important role in helping man confront and consider issues of moral magnitude. It continues to serve that purpose even today.