When I think of tragedy, I do not put a limit as to what it can pertain to. Tragedy, in my mind, can be a genre of art, writing, or drama. If I were to describe what makes art tragic, I'd have to say that the colors and presentation have a lot to do with it. Blues, browns, blacks, dark and gloomy colors could convey a rather sad and or tragic emotion. There are many examples out there of tragic paintings and drawings. One such painting is titled: Massacre of the Innocents by Peter Paul Rubens. The Massacre of the Innocents is a biblical account of infanticide, better known as the intentional killing of infants. Most people, or at least those who are capable of feeling any sort or sympathy and or empathy, would consider this a tragic event. A tragic event that causes a saddened or sorrowful emotion among the viewers of the painting. Now this painting's ability to convey this sort of emotion is similar to the way writing and drama has the ability to convey these sorts of emotions. By using strong language and unfortunate events, writers, both novelists and playwrights, are able to create a melancholy tone within their works, which is something I would define as tragedy. All of this being said, by definition, tragedy is a form of drama based on human suffering that provides entertainment to a given audience. Tragedy often is associated with a particular tradition of drama that has played as an important role in the history of western civilization. Although the term has had it bouts with use throughout time, the term can still convey a form of cultural identity and historical continuity. Tragedy originated in Ancient Greece around 2500 years ago, showing it's head for the first time in the theatre of Ancient Greece. This Greek form of tragedy could be defined as a sort of dance-drama and took place in late March/April during religious celebrations (which could be tied back, I suppose, the the biblical representation included in the painting above). These shows were actually a competition between three playwrights, each of which were required to present three tragedies and a final satyr piece. However, modern tragedy is not a competition, and has featured quite a few changes throughout time. In the past, tragedy represented the wealthy and powerful, but in modern day, it now features the ordinary man. I think that this inclusion makes it easier for people at any status to enjoy this genre of work, and has been important for keeping tragedy alive throughout time.
1 Comment
Ben
10/25/2017 07:26:20 am
I'm interested in the fact the modern tragedy has shifted toward the tragedy of the common man. I, too, think this is an important step in including the general reader in the conversation.
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