Tragedy
English Lit: AQA A Level The Great Gatsby - Specification A, topic 2.1.3
Tragedy
In the past (particularly in the Greek and Roman Classical period, and in the Age of Shakespeare), tragedies often present the fall of high-status characters: for example, Kings, Emperors, Princes or Generals.
Status
- The idea was that with a high-status character, they have so much further to fall than a lower status character.
- In effect, they have more to lose, whether it is their reputation, a love, respect, command or power.
Tragic flaw
- The general idea is that one or more of the characters have a tragic flaw (something in their make up or character) that is problematical.
- Usually, another character (often a tragic villain) tries to find weakness or the main character’s flaw, and aims to exploit that.
Spiral of tragedy
- Once that tragic flaw has been identified, then very often the main character steps into a spiral of tragedy which they find it difficult to escape from.
- They tend to blame everyone else but themselves.
Tragedy
In most tragedies, chaos results because the main character makes a set of poor decisions.
Chaos
- These decisions not only impact upon them, but also wider society and other characters around them.
- The chaos reaches its climax when something happens which is impossible to change.
Remorse
- Only then does the main character reflect on what they have done, and they gain insight into their experiences.
- They are usually filled with remorse and either are killed by a heroic figure or kill themselves because they can no longer face what they have become.
Modern tragedies
- In modern tragedies, the characters do not have to be as grand as a King or a Prince but they often still have a particular status in the society in which they operate.
- They can still have a tragic flaw. It may also be the case that the wider society is tragic because the text is set in a particular era or time period.
Tragic heroes and society
- Very often, the tragic hero will find themselves at odds with the society around them, so that they do not quite fit. Sometimes a character tries to rise too quickly in a society and pays the price for their ambition.
Test yourself on Tragedy
What are some examples of things high-status characters might lose in Tragedies?
The Unfolding of Chaos in Tragedies
What does the tragic hero often have to be in a modern tragedy?