The six elements and principles of tragedy as defined by Aristotle can be applied to the play The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams. According to Aristotle, every play should have six elements - plot, character, thought, diction, melody and spectacle. These elements are present in Tennessee Williams play and the play can be analyzed by drawing relevant parallels to Aristotle’s terms. These principles of tragedy and analysis of the ideal form of the tragic play became a guideline for later playwrights in Western civilization. Aristotle defines tragedy as “the imitation of an action that is serious and also, as having magnitude, complete in itself; in appropriate and pleasurable language;…in a dramatic rather than narrative form; with incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish a catharsis of these emotions.” What Aristotle means by this statement is that a good tragedy deals with one issue that is very serious and is not trivial, using language that is easy to listen to and has good rhythm. The story must be dramatized or acted out and the events or episodes in the play should lead the audience to feel very sorry for the main character – the tragic hero. The audience should also feel afraid for the hero as
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Amanda tells Tom to find Laura a gentlemen caller and he brings home Jim O’Connor. Thought is the power of saying whatever can be said and should be said at each moment of the plot. ” The four main characters, Tom, Laura, Amanda and Jim O’Connor, all fit these criteria that Aristotle has laid down.
Character is the second most important element of tragedy. According to Aristotle, no matter who they are, the characters must be good in some way. There are many symbols that represent her such as the blue rose and unicorn which are very unique and different to the world. She is a good person but like all the other characters, is tragically flawed in some way. In a tragedy, this is often a moment of revelation when the tragic hero meets his downfall and the audience can release their tension. Melody and spectacle are accessories. When analyzing a play, the audience must ask if the lines spoken by the actors make sense and if what they are saying should be said at each particular moment in the play. Then he admits that he has a fiancé and cannot call again. Amanda dreams constantly of the days when she was a young Southern belle and wishes Laura could have gentlemen callers. The Greeks sometimes used musical accompaniment and Aristotle said the music has to blend in with the play appropriately.
Approximate Word count =
1184
Approximate Pages =
5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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