Tragedy Lessons from Aristotle: Crash Course Theater #3

Summary

In this Crash Course episode on Greek tragedy, host Mike Rugnetta explores Aristotle's theories from 'The Poetics' and applies them to Aeschylus' 'Oresteia' trilogy. Aristotle's analysis focuses on key elements like plot, character, and catharsis, where emotions are purged through pity and fear. The episode delves into the tragic nature of the 'Oresteia'—a tale of revenge, murder, and divine intervention—while also highlighting the invention of the jury trial in ancient Athens. The discussion bridges ancient drama with its lasting influence on modern storytelling and civic responsibility.

Takeaways

• 🎭 Aristotle's 'Poetics' defines tragedy as the imitation of a serious, complete action that evokes pity and fear, leading to catharsis.
• 🏛️ Greek tragedies often involve legendary heroes or royal families, dealing with major themes like murder, vengeance, and betrayal.
• 📜 Aristotle believed that plot is more important than characters in a tragedy, emphasizing that the action drives the story.
• ⚖️ The 'Oresteia' is the only surviving Greek tragic trilogy, focusing on themes of family bloodshed, revenge, and the eventual establishment of the jury system.
• 🔄 Key elements of a tragic plot, according to Aristotle, include reversal (peripeteia), recognition (anagnorisis), and a scene of suffering.
• 🤔 Aristotle's idea of catharsis involves purging or clarifying emotions, which has sparked debates on whether it’s emotional or intellectual.
• 💥 The character's downfall in a tragedy is often due to hamartia, a frailty or error, rather than inherent evil.
• 🧪 Aristotle proposed six parts of tragedy: Plot, Character, Diction, Thought, Spectacle, and Song, with plot being the most crucial.
• 🔔 The 'Oresteia' trilogy shows that only divine intervention (and the introduction of the jury trial) can stop the cycle of blood vengeance.
• 🗳️ The plays were used to remind Greek audiences of the importance of democratic institutions like the jury system, linking the themes to civic duty.

Q & A

What is the main focus of this episode of Crash Course Theater?

The episode focuses on Greek tragedy, particularly Aristotle's theories on the art form, and applies these theories to Aeschylus' trilogy 'The Oresteia.'

Who was Aristotle, and what was his role in literary criticism?

Aristotle was a Greek philosopher born in 384 BCE. He studied under Plato and later became a tutor to Alexander the Great. He wrote 'The Poetics,' which is considered the first substantial work of literary criticism, focusing on tragedy.

What does Aristotle mean by 'tragedy' in his definition?

Aristotle defines tragedy as an imitation of a serious and complete action of certain magnitude, using language that includes artistic elements like poetry and song. The action is shown, not told, and it evokes pity and fear, resulting in catharsis, or emotional purgation.

What is catharsis, and how has it been interpreted?

Catharsis refers to the purgation of emotions, specifically pity and fear. Some scholars believe it helps the audience release unhelpful emotions, making them better citizens, while others argue that catharsis affects the characters on stage, leading to intellectual clarification.

According to Aristotle, what are the six parts of a tragedy?

The six parts of a tragedy, in order of importance, are Plot, Character, Diction, Thought, Spectacle, and Song. Aristotle believed the plot was the most crucial element, even more important than character.

What does Aristotle mean by 'hamartia' in tragedy?

Hamartia refers to a tragic character’s error or frailty, often translated as 'missing the mark.' It is not an inherent flaw but a mistake or misjudgment that leads to their downfall.

What are the three main elements of a tragic plot according to Aristotle?

The three main elements are reversal (peripeteia), recognition (anagnorisis), and a scene of suffering. Reversal is when events take an unexpected turn for the worse, recognition is the moment a character realizes something crucial, and suffering involves exile, suicide, or psychological trauma.

How does Aeschylus' 'Oresteia' trilogy fit into Aristotle’s definition of tragedy?

The 'Oresteia' incorporates several Aristotelian elements such as noble characters facing serious consequences due to their actions (hamartia), reversal, and recognition. The trilogy also involves intense suffering and addresses themes of vengeance and justice.

What role does divine intervention play in the 'Oresteia'?

In the third play, divine intervention, through Athena, helps break the cycle of bloodguilt and vengeance. This also introduces the concept of a jury trial, symbolizing the importance of democratic institutions in Greek society.

How does Aristotle view spectacle in tragedy, and why?

Aristotle considers spectacle (visual elements) less important than other aspects of tragedy like plot and character. He believes excessive spectacle can cheapen the experience and distract from the emotional and intellectual impact of the play.

Outlines

00:00

🎭 Introduction to Greek Tragedy and Aristotle's Theories

The video begins with host Mike Rugnetta introducing Greek tragedy, referencing Aristotle's theories on drama. Aristotle’s work, 'The Poetics,' was written centuries after the golden age of Athenian drama and reflects on older works like Aeschylus' 'Oresteia.' This segment provides an overview of Aristotle's background, his connection to Plato, and how Aristotle defended poetry and drama as useful to society, unlike Plato. Aristotle’s writings focused heavily on tragedy, offering insights into its structure and value.

05:04

📜 Aristotle's Definition of Tragedy and its Elements

Aristotle's definition of tragedy is explored, breaking down his concept that tragedy is an imitation of serious, complete actions that elicit emotions like pity and fear, leading to catharsis. Aristotle’s terms are explained in modern language, such as the idea that tragedies should focus on significant figures (royalty or heroes) and deal with grand issues like murder and betrayal. The segment also touches on his belief in the importance of poetry, action, and catharsis, though scholars debate whether catharsis is emotional or intellectual.

10:06

📚 Aristotle’s Six Components of Tragedy

This section elaborates on the six essential parts of a tragedy, according to Aristotle: Plot, Character, Diction, Thought, Spectacle, and Song. Plot is considered the most crucial, as it drives the tragic action, while characters are secondary. Aristotle believed that spectacle should be minimal and not overly entertaining. He emphasized the importance of a noble character's downfall due to a minor flaw (hamartia), and he discussed the essential tragic elements of reversal, recognition, and suffering.

🔄 Reversal, Recognition, and Suffering in Tragedy

Key dramatic elements such as reversal (peripeteia), recognition (anagnorisis), and suffering are explored. These plot devices are crucial for creating emotional engagement and catharsis. Reversal is when events take an unexpected turn, often for the worse, while recognition is the character's sudden realization of a truth. The segment uses examples like Oedipus to illustrate these concepts and highlights how suffering is a natural consequence in tragic narratives, often manifesting as exile, death, or psychological trauma.

⚔️ The Oresteia: A Case Study in Greek Tragedy

The video shifts focus to Aeschylus' 'Oresteia,' a three-part tragedy dealing with themes of revenge, bloodguilt, and divine intervention. The first two plays, 'Agamemnon' and 'The Libation Bearers,' involve the murder of Agamemnon by his wife Clytemnestra and the subsequent revenge by their son Orestes, who kills his mother. This section provides a narrative breakdown of these events, focusing on the tragic downfall of characters and how their choices lead to more violence and suffering, with the Furies (Erinyes) playing a significant role in punishing blood crimes.

⚖️ Resolution Through Divine Intervention and Jury Trials

The third play of 'The Oresteia,' 'The Eumenides,' is summarized, in which Orestes seeks refuge and is tried in a court arranged by the goddess Athena. This trial introduces the concept of the jury, marking a shift from cycles of blood revenge to a more democratic form of justice. The gods play an active role in resolving the conflict, and the Furies, originally instruments of vengeance, are transformed into the Kindly Ones, becoming protectors of family and marriage. This segment highlights how divine intervention and institutional justice break the cycle of tragedy.

🔍 Tragedy and Catharsis: Questions of Interpretation

The final section revisits Aristotle’s theory of catharsis and how it applies to the 'Oresteia' trilogy. It reflects on whether the plays successfully produce pity and fear in the audience, leading to emotional or intellectual catharsis. The conclusion acknowledges that while not every part of the 'Oresteia' fits Aristotle's model perfectly, the trilogy still serves as a powerful example of how action and plot drive Greek tragedy. The section closes with a humorous nod to Greek comedy and its trademark phalluses.

Keywords

💡Aristotle

Aristotle was a Greek philosopher born in 384 BCE, known for his contributions to various fields, including literary criticism. In the video, Aristotle’s theories on Greek tragedy are explored, particularly those in his work 'The Poetics.' He sets out the rules and components of a well-structured tragedy, such as plot and catharsis, using examples from Greek dramas like 'Oedipus Rex.'

💡Greek Tragedy

Greek tragedy is a dramatic form that deals with serious and often somber themes, typically involving legendary figures and moral dilemmas. The video explains that Aristotle defined it as an 'imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude.' Greek tragedies often feature elements like reversal and suffering, as seen in 'The Oresteia,' a trilogy that exemplifies these characteristics.

💡Catharsis

Catharsis refers to the emotional purging or release that an audience experiences when watching a tragedy. Aristotle believed that through pity and fear, a tragedy could purify these emotions in the audience. The video discusses how scholars debate whether catharsis serves an emotional or intellectual function, and whether it is meant to affect the audience or the characters on stage.

💡Plot

According to Aristotle, the plot is the most important element of a tragedy, as it drives the action. The video emphasizes that a well-constructed plot must feature a 'reversal' (peripeteia) and 'recognition' (anagnorisis), which help create dramatic tension and evoke catharsis. For example, in 'The Oresteia,' the plot revolves around cycles of vengeance and familial violence.

💡Hamartia

Hamartia, or 'tragic flaw,' is the error or frailty that leads a mostly good character to their downfall. Aristotle used this concept to explain how characters in tragedies, like Agamemnon in 'The Oresteia,' miss the mark through poor judgment or moral failure. This flaw is essential for evoking pity and fear in the audience.

💡Peripeteia

Peripeteia, or reversal, refers to a sudden change in a character’s fortune, often turning from good to bad. Aristotle believed this element was crucial for a compelling plot. In the video, peripeteia is discussed in the context of 'The Oresteia,' where characters like Agamemnon and Orestes experience dramatic reversals in their fortunes, typically triggered by a messenger or sudden revelation.

💡Anagnorisis

Anagnorisis is the moment of recognition or discovery when a character gains critical insight, often too late to prevent their downfall. In Greek tragedy, this moment is closely tied to the peripeteia, and the video gives examples from 'The Oresteia,' where characters recognize the tragic consequences of their actions, such as Orestes realizing the gravity of killing his mother.

💡The Oresteia

The Oresteia is a trilogy of Greek tragedies by Aeschylus, which tells the story of Agamemnon’s return from the Trojan War and the cycle of vengeance that follows within his family. The video uses 'The Oresteia' to illustrate many of Aristotle's theories on tragedy, including reversal, recognition, and the themes of justice and revenge. It also shows how the trilogy introduces the concept of the jury trial as a resolution to the cycle of bloodguilt.

💡Character

In Aristotle’s theory, characters in a tragedy are secondary to the plot, but their actions and flaws drive the tragic events. The video notes that tragic characters, like Agamemnon and Orestes, are often noble but flawed, leading them to make mistakes that result in suffering. Their downfall is integral to eliciting the emotions of pity and fear in the audience.

💡Spectacle

Spectacle refers to the visual elements of a play, such as scenery, costumes, and special effects. Aristotle considered it the least important aspect of tragedy, favoring the emotional and intellectual depth of the plot and characters. The video humorously points out that Aristotle thought too much spectacle could cheapen a tragedy, though it acknowledges its role in engaging the audience.

Highlights

Aristotle wrote 'The Poetics,' the first substantial work of literary criticism in 335 BCE, which mainly focused on tragedy.

Aristotle aimed to prove drama's societal value, countering his teacher Plato, who believed poets and dramatists encouraged a false reality.

The Poetics defines tragedy as 'an imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude'—a key concept in analyzing Greek tragedy.

Aristotle outlined six elements of tragedy: Plot, Character, Diction, Thought, Spectacle, and Song, with Plot being the most important.

Aristotle's theory of catharsis—purging emotions through pity and fear—remains a point of debate among scholars regarding whether it's emotional or intellectual.

The concept of hamartia in tragedy refers to a character's 'error or frailty,' often translating to 'missing the mark,' rather than an inherent flaw.

Aristotle's ideal tragic plot includes three elements: reversal (peripeteia), recognition (anagnorisis), and a scene of suffering.

The only surviving Greek tragic trilogy is Aeschylus' 'Oresteia,' which tells the myth of Agamemnon and his family, including murder, vengeance, and divine intervention.

The first play, 'Agamemnon,' features his wife's revenge for the sacrifice of their daughter and culminates in his murder.

The second play, 'The Libation Bearers,' depicts Orestes and Electra plotting to murder their mother, Clytemnestra, for killing Agamemnon.

The Furies (Erinyes) chase Orestes in the second play, as he is punished for spilling family blood—a common theme in Greek tragedy.

'The Eumenides,' the final play in the trilogy, shows how divine intervention and the introduction of a jury trial stop the cycle of blood vengeance.

Clytemnestra's many motivations for her actions highlight how characters in Greek tragedies can appear flat, with the action driving the plot.

The Oresteia trilogy shows the importance of democratic institutions, as the jury trial is portrayed as a solution to the tragic cycle of blood vengeance.

Aristotle's theories continue to influence modern playwriting and performance, demonstrating the enduring relevance of his ideas on tragedy.

Transcripts

Hey there.

I’m Mike Rugnetta, this is Crash Course Theater, and today is going to be a tragedy.

A Greek tragedy.

Which is a lot like a regular tragedy, only older and with more stuffed grape leaves.

We’ll be exploring Aristotle’s theories on this artform, written more than a century

after the golden age of Athenian drama.

Then we’ll apply them retrospectively to the only surviving tragic trilogy we have,

the “Oresteia” of Aeschylus.

Get ready for some husband-killing, some mother-killing and, maybe unsurprisingly, the invention of

the jury trial!

INTRO Meet Aristotle.

Just Aristotle.

No last name.

Like Cher!

But older.

Also believes in life after love, though!

He was born in 384 BCE and lived in Greece and Macedonia.

He spent many years studying with Plato, a philosopher who wasn’t a big fan of drama

or poetry.

Plato wrote that poets encourage a false vision of reality and should all be excluded from

the ideal state.

Wow.

Harsh, dude.

Luckily for us his pupil Aristotle was more open-minded.

In 335 BCE, a little while after he’d finished tutoring Alexander the Great, Aristotle sat

down to write The Poetics, the first substantial work of literary criticism.

Originally The Poetics was in two parts, a section on tragedy and a section on comedy,

but only the tragedy part survives.

Aristotle was writing 200 years after the City Dionysia really got going and 150 years

after the beginning of the golden age of Greek drama.

So the Poetics isn’t really about analyzing contemporary work, it’s about looking at

the work that came before Aristotle, deciding what’s great about it, and providing a handbook

for future playwrights and audiences.

Aristotle was trying to stick it to Plato by proving poetry (and theatre) could be useful

to society.

He was a big fan of Sophocles and the rules Aristotle set out apply most closely to Sophocles’s

own “Oedipus Rex”, which you might remember from Crash Course Literature.

Club foot, murder, incest, stabbing out the eyes—it’s memorable stuff.

But Aristotle’s theories apply, in many ways, to all of the works of Greek tragedy.

And often, we can gain a lot of insight through how ancient plays do or do not tick the boxes

that Aristotle set up.

And in fact, Aristotle’s theories continue to influence how we write and think about

modern plays.

First off, the tragedy portion of Aristotle’s Poetics considers several forms of poetry,

including the tragedy, and the epic, which is different in that it’s mostly descriptive,

rather than imitative.

It tells rather than shows, like the dithyrambs we discussed last episode.

But!

We’re here to talk tragedy which, Aristotle defines as:

“An imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude; in language

embellished with each kind of artistic ornament, the several kinds being found in separate

parts of the play; in the form of action, not of narrative; through pity and fear effecting

the proper purgation of these emotions.”

So, Okay, a lot of this language is ambiguous, but there are some conclusions we can draw.

We’re gonna go bit by bit: What does serious mean?

Well, there probably aren’t a lot of satyrs and phalluses.

Complete?

Each play in a tragedy has to stand independent from other works in its trilogy.

That’s lucky for us because as we discussed last time, invading .hordes have a bad habit

of burning libraries and we’ve lost a lot of plays.

Of a certain magnitude?

That’s trickier, but if you read Greek tragedies you’ll notice they deal with legendary heroes

or royal families, characters whose lives will have a sizable impact.

Also their difficulties are not minor—these are stories about murder, vengeance, betrayal…

again: memorable stuff!

By language embellished, Aristotle means not only poetry, but also song.

In the form of action, not of narrative, means showing rather than telling.

And through pity and fear effecting the proper purgation of those emotions - that’s catharsis,

and as we suggested last episode, it’s kept scholars fearful and pitious for centuries.

We offered one explanation last time, that plays help make people better citizens by

purging them of emotions unhelpful to the city-state—you have a good cry at the theater

so that you’re not crying when it comes to making political decisions.

But scholars have argued that this catharsis is actually supposed to happen for the characters

onstage; there’s been a lot of debate about whether the goal of catharsis is an emotional

purgation or an intellectual clarification.

Is catharsis supposed to awaken your emotions, or trigger some deeply rational thoughts?

Shockingly: EXPERTS DISAGREE.

Aristotle also said tragedy is composed of six parts: Plot, Character, Diction, Thought,

Spectacle, and Song.

They’re important pretty much in that order, although he says that song matters more than

spectacle.

Take that, projection designers.

Wait…

I’ve designed projections!

You don’t want too much spectacle he says, because that’s cheap and tragedy should

be enjoyable, but not, like, too enjoyable.

And Aristotle argues that even though it’s characters we care about, it’s actually

the plot—the tragic action—that’s most important.

You could have a character just like Oedipus, for instance, who doesn’t kill his father

or marry his mother, but … well, that’s not really much of a tragedy.

Aristotle believes that in order for a tragedy to really work, it needs to focus on a mostly

good character who–through the tragic action–is then brought low.

If you have a mostly bad character brought low: Big whoop, they had it coming, no tragedy.

Same goes for a mostly good character who stays good: No pity, no fear, no catharsis.

An unimpeachably good character brought low doesn’t work either, because the tragic

action has to be their fault, at least a little.

Aristotle writes that the ideal is to have a mostly noble and illustrious character “whose

misfortune is brought about not by vice or depravity, but by some error or frailty.”

The word for frailty in Greek is hamartia.

It’s a term that comes from archery and it means missing the mark.

Our tragic character doesn’t have some horrible inborn flaw, but more like ... tries to do

a good job, and whiffs it.

Aristotle thought that a tragic plot needed to have three main elements: reversal, recognition

and a scene of suffering.

The Greek word for reversal is peripeteia; you might recognize it from the English word

peripatetic, which means walking back and forth.

Reversal means just when you think something’s going okay, there’s a change, usually signaled

by the arrival of a messenger, and then everything gets terrible again.

Someone’s gotta start shooting these messengers!

Recognition, known as anagnorisis, is what happens when a character finally recognizes

something.

That was my mother!

That was my son!

I shouldn’t have eaten that second piece of cake!

Oops.

Recognition combined with a reversal is best, Aristotle says: it automatically produces

pity or fear.

Maybe both!

Shortly after recognition comes the scene of suffering—exile, suicide, huge psychological

trauma.

It’s fun stuff?

And just the kind of thing a healthy city-state would want to sponsor for the good of its

people!

To get a feel for some of these elements, let’s take a quick look at “The Oresteia,”

the only surviving Greek tragic trilogy, which won first prize in 458 BCE.

It retells a mythical story, one covered, at least in part in “The Odyssey.”

Its three plays are: Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers and The Eumenides.

We’ll look at the first two in the Thoughtbubble: Thoughtbubble

In the first play, the general Agamemnon returns to Argos from the Trojan War.

His wife, Clytemnestra, only pretends to greet him happily.

Why is she mad?

Because he sacrificed their daughter to make some winds blow, that’s why.

(Does that sound like a similar plot point from an episode of Game of Thrones?

That show steals from the best!).

To make matters worse, Agamemnon has brought home his concubine, Cassandra.

Clytemnestra’s lover, Aegisthus, is also ticked because–get ready–his father, once

king, raped his daughter because an oracle said an incest son would get revenge on his

uncle who tricked his father into eating his now deceased half siblings.

His sister-mom, ashamed, disowns him so he's gotta work his way from GOAT FARMER back up

to royalty, which he DOES, but then is ousted by Meneleaus who installs ... AGAMEMNON as

king.

So, long story medium-short, Clytemnestra convinces Agamemnon to walk all on some TAPESTRIES,

which is a sacrilegious act, a sign that he's prideful–which he sorta is–thus by ancient

tradition justifying his murder.

In some versions Aegisthus kills Agamemnon, in others it’s Clytemnestra, but either

way he gets it ... in the bath no less!

In the second play, things go bad in Argos.

Electra, Agamemnon and Clytemnestra’s daughter, is miserable.

Orestes, her brother, arrives in disguise and together they plot to murder their mother.

Which is usually frowned upon, but the chorus is all: Right.

On.

So, giving into their worst impulses, they kill Clytemnestra and Aegisthus.

Just when it seems like things might get back to normal, the furies, aka the Erinyes arrive.

The furies are scary snake-haired women who terrorize you when you’ve spilled family

blood.

They chase Orestes out of the palace.

Thanks Thoughtbubble, but the tragedy doesn’t stop there.

In the third play, Orestes seeks shelter with the god Apollo, then heads to Athens.

He appeals to the goddess Athena and she arranges a trial for him, drafting twelve citizens

for the jury.

Orestes and the furies present their cases, the jury deadlocks, and Athena acts as tiebreaker.

The case comes down to whether it’s worse to kill a mother or a husband.

Apollo argues that mothers aren’t really parents, they’re just hosts for the father’s

seed.

I’M SORRY WHAT?

And then Athena is all like, “I was born from my father’s forehead so I can totally

get behind that.

Orestes, you’re free.

Furies, I’m changing your name to the Eumenides, the Kindly Ones, and making you the patron

goddesses of marriage and children.

Libations all around!”

So that’s how we get the jury trial and some messed up ideas about parentage.

As you probably noticed, each of these three plays don’t tick every Aristotle Box.

The third play has a non-tragic ending.

But we can see how the engines of Aristotelian tragedy drive these works: in each play, the

action is more important than the characters, who can seem somewhat flat and unconvincing.

Clytemnestra offers about six different motivations for her dastardly deeds, including that she

finds murder sexually arousing … which is troubling.

But in every play, there’s plenty of action.

In the first two plays, we can see mostly noble characters missing the mark.

Agamemnon agrees to walk on tapestries, Orestes decides to resort to violence.

There’s suffering aplenty.

Taking the three plays as a whole, they show that the only thing to break the tragic cycle

of bloodguilt and vengeance is literal divine intervention.

Divine intervention, and jury duty--which was a pretty convincing way to remind the

audience of the importance of the city’s democratic institutions!

Do these plays offer catharsis?

Well, that’s gonna depend on how we interpret catharsis.

And of course it’s also going to depend on how the plays are performed.

But in a strong production I’d say chances are good that you feel pity.

Or fear.

Or both.

Enjoy your purgation.

And then go vote with a clear head!

We’ll see you next time for Greek comedy.

Yup.

All

the phalluses.

And…curtain!