Tragedy Essay Examples

Wu Jianren’s 1906 novella ‘Sea of Regret (originally titled Hen Bai) is a masterpiece of modern Chinese literature. The book is rich in themes of morality and the challenges of modernity and patriotism. Adopting a tone of sentimentality that is essential to the Chinese literary aesthetic the novella deals also with concepts such as chivalry […]

There are many themes in Candide which resonate with a contemporary audience. One of the recurrent attacks in the book has been against religious institutions and the politico-cultural power wielded by them. Although Voltaire was a deist, he did not espouse the view of the Optimists who believed that we inhabit a perfect world in […]

A Modern Tragedy – The Hairy Ape by Eugene O’Neill Inside Eugene O’Neill’s “The Hairy Ape” the main character, Yank, embodies the beleaguered working class of a capitalist culture. As Mr. O’Neill’s was understood to be a zealous socialist himself believing that a society should and can work together, as a whole, towards a better […]

In Hamlet, Shakespeare makes it clear that Prince Hamlet is insane or at least on the verge of “madness. ” However, Ophelia (daughter of Polonius, King of Denmark) begins to go mad, as well, after Hamlet kills her father, and the other numerous tragedies that plague her like a black cloud hovering about until her […]

“Slavery is known to be a condition where one has a full authority and absolute power over another person (Merriam Webster Dictionary). ” Slavery has been present in the life of Sayuri even at the start of the story in the novel. Sayuri, the main protagonist of the story unraveled a long journey before she […]

Canada, located in the northern hemisphere, has a frigid climate. Exploring its population and studying its literature allows for an examination of cultural differences between Canada and other cold regions. Canadian literature reflects the experiences of individuals deeply immersed in Canadian culture. By examining their literature, one can gain insight into how Canadians endure isolation […]

I came across these words one day: “Life is like a rollercoaster. It has ups and downs. But it’s your choice to scream or enjoy the ride”. I believe that your perspective on life shall change your ride into a comedy or a tragedy. If you are a thinker who contemplates life without involving your […]

Abstract Many issues currently are faced by the women who are into dating searching for the soul partner. Many decisions are taken in response to the choices that are made based on which fears are faced along with sorrows and grief. Dating and having a relationship with a married man is one such decisions that […]

The main focus here is not the term tragedy, which means “goat song” and has a connection to Dionysus’ ritual. Instead, we will primarily explore Aristotle’s concept of tragedy, which comes from the story of Dionysus and other sources. According to Aristotle’s Poetics, a crucial aspect of tragedy is the depiction of a noble and […]

Aristotle defines a tragic hero as someone, usually a male, who “falls from a high place mainly due to their fatal flaw. ” During the highest point of the tragic hero’s life, something is revealed to the protagonist causing a reversal in their fortune. This reversal of fortune is caused by the flaw in their […]

Intelligent, strikingly attractive, and distinguished by her deep moral sensitivity and passionate intensity, Tess is indisputably the central character of the novel that bears her name. But she is also more than a distinctive individual: Hardy makes her into somewhat of a mythic heroine. Other characters often refer to Tess in mythical terms, as when […]

Throughout the sixteenth century, many of Shakespeare’s most famous plays, including Hamlet, were tragedies that readers could feel strong emotional connections with. Because of the popular infatuation with these plays, audiences were heavily attracted to the Globe Theater with the desire to see these plays preformed. In modern-day literature, Hamlet is still appreciated and still […]

Metatheatricality is defined by Stuart Davis as “a convenient name for the quality or force in a play which challenges theatre’s claim to be simply realistic to be nothing but a mirror in which we view the actions and sufferings of characters like ourselves, suspending our disbelief in their reality. ” (Metatheatre). It is present […]

Aristotle believed that the greatest play to have been written before and during his time was one by Sophocles entitled Oedipus the King. For him, a great tragic play offered a reversal of fortune and recognition on the part of the tragic hero, which were exemplified by Sophocles. The story of Oedipus was, for centuries, […]

After reading The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, some readers interpret Julius Caesar as the tragic hero of the play. However, Brutus is the real tragic hero. A tragic hero is a character that is virtuous, but makes crucial errors in judgment or possesses a tragic flaw that leads to their downfall. The […]

In Aristotle’s Poetics, he described what a tragic hero is with several characteristics, and in the Greek Tragedy of Sophocles; Electra, the main protagonist really has some of these characteristics. In terms of Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero, Electra is considered as a tragic hero. First, she is an individual of noble stature; she […]

Place yourself back in to the times of Greek tragedy and culture, the glorious palace doors overlooking the Kingdom and the elegant, admirable robes. Here you will find the setting of “Oedipus the King” written by Sophocles, adapted in 1986 by Don Taylor. Taylor adapts this version extremely well, highlighting the main themes and significant […]

Sophocles’ play Oedipus Rex and David Fincher’s film Fight Club, both display striking resemblances in terms of fundamental concepts and moral teachings. It is arguable that inherent qualities of classical tragedy are present in both. However, do both strictly conform to the traditional understanding of the term tragedy? In my opinion, Oedipus Rex and Fight […]

The melancholy of life, death and old age, are one of the many issues dealt with, in Alan Bennett’s heart-rending tale. It tells the story of an isolated, fragile, elderly woman, who feels ensnared in a modernised society in which she strives for her sovereignty and prominence. In a culture where the old are forgotten, […]

Tragedy occurs when the tragic hero of a play fails to evaluate himself and sees that he is the main problem and the one that is causing society and the good of mankind to suffer. It is because of his compulsion to evaluate himself justly, that tragedy occurs. Aristotle provided us with a Greek theory […]

Roman theatre borrowed Greek ideas and improved on them. Roman theatre was less philosophical, more encompassed than drama – a performance includes: acrobatics, gladiators, jugglers, athletics, chariots races, naumachia (sea battles), boxing, venationes (animal fights). The entertainment tended to be grandiose. Three major influences on Roman theatre were Greek Drama, Etruscan circus-like elements and Fabula […]

How has your critical study of ‘Hamlet’ shaped your understanding of the texual integrity of the dramatic piece? William Shakespeare’s famous tragedy ‘Hamlet’ follows a young prince of Denmark who after his father’s death, is confronted by his fathers ghost and sets out to prove his uncles participation in killing his father and marrying his […]