TRAGEDY A.C Bradley

2. • TRAGEDY
3. • A.C Bradley, while discussing the substance of the Shakespearean tragedy observes that ‘may be called a story of exceptional calamity leading to the death of a man in high estate’. Of course his speaks of ‘A Shakespearean Tragedy’, but these may well be applied to the interpretation of the nature of Tragedy as a whole. The problem raised here, is how far Tragedy may be interpreted as a story of an exceptional calamity, culminating in the death of a person of eminence.
4. • The consideration of the nature of Tragedy, on the above line, when carefully analysed reveals the following constituents of a tragic play; First, Tragedy represents a story. Second, the story shows an exceptional calamity. Third, an eminent person is involved in the story. Forth, the story ends with the death of a person concerned.
5. • The Tragedy as described by Aristotle is as intimation or representation of an action. This action is related to certain behaviour, conduct, relationship, in short, some human story. It is, thus, constituted of a story of love and hate, ambition and resolution, success and failure, intrigue and crime or some such affairs of human life. This element of fable or story is an essential constituent of tragedy. Aristotle has also emphasized the significance of the fable in tragedy. Different celebrated tragedies, belonging to all ages, are found to present some stories, as seen in ‘King Oedipus’s Medea’, ‘The Trojan Women’, ‘Dr. Faustus’, ‘The Spanish Tragedy’, ‘Hamlet’, ‘Macbeth’, ‘Julius Ceaser’, ‘Samson Agonists’, ‘The Duchess of Malfi’, ‘Justice’, ‘A Doll House’, ‘An Enemy of the People’, ‘Riders to the Sea’ and ‘The Murder in the Cathedral’ and many other modern plays.
6. • The story, again, is nothing ordinary, common plays, but an exceptional one, and involves some calamity. The implication is that some singular, exciting, serious matters or affairs are treated here. Aristotle, in his description or tragedy refers to the seriousness of the action in tragedy – ‘Tragedy is a representation or imitation of an action, which is serious...’. Seriousness involved problems, conflict, troubles and sufferings in the story of human action and relationship, which Tragedy represents. In Sophocles’ King Oedipus there is the problem of the expulsion of the unknown murderer of Laius from Thebes for the welfare of the city. Marlowe’s Edward II presents the conflict between the King, senselessly drawn to his minions, and his proud rebellious nobles. In Macbeth, the problem of evil, dominating man’s mind is shown while both Hamlet and Othello are mainly concerned with the terrible mental troubles of Shakespeare’s heroes, under the operation of certain highly provocative forces. Medea and The Spanish Tragedy are the stories of violent human vengeance. King Lear presents an engrossing account of troubles and sufferings, resulting from rashness and ingratitude in human behaviour. Galsworthy’s Justice and Synge’s Riders to the Sea are the stories of conflict between the individual and his society and the man and the sea, a natural agent, respectively.
7. • Tragedy seems to be the story of an exceptional calamity, befalling or happening to some person or persons. The expression ‘Exceptional Calamity’ however requires a special explanation. In the language of Bradley,
8. • “No amount of calamity which merely befall a man, descending from the clouds, like lightning or stealing from the darkness, like pestilence, could along provide to the substance of his story”.
9. • Disaster, whatever may be its degree, following from a collision of trains or death, however shocking or painful this may be, in a motor accident or after a protracted illness, constituents no exceptional calamity for the story of tragedy.
10. • In fact, the calamity, referred to as noted by Bradley, neither happens simply nor is sent but rather proceeds mainly from the action of certain persons. Those persons, in certain circumstances or under the pressure of different situation or forces, act, and this leads to further actions from some other persons. Out of such actions and interactions, the calamity comes inevitable, and the principal characters, particularly the hero or heroine or both, have a distinct and important part in it. In fact, the involvement of this principal character in certain situation, problems and conflicts, there fall and the intensity of their suffering from the calamity which is definitely not simple but singular and exceptional. What, however, makes this particularly exceptional is the contribution of the hero or heroine or both, in a significant measure, to the disaster that leads to the final catastrophe, as this serves intensity the emotion of tragic pity and tragic fear.
11. • Sophocles treats a story of an exceptional calamity in King Oedipus. His hero Oedipus, in an extenuating situation, commits grave sins ignorantly and becomes subsequently involve, as the King of Theatres, in the problem of the detection and the expulsion of the sinner, who is none but he himself. Moreover, his ego, impulse and violent wrath complicate the situation and lead ultimately to his painful knowledge and intense sufferings. In Medea, Euripides presents a story of a dreadful vengeance by a wronged woman, Medea, who even kills her own children to reduce her husband Jason to absolute destitution. The calamity that is represented by the dramatists here, as in King Oedipus, ‘Exceptional’ with the different that Medea recourse to criminal acts deliberately. Hamlet’s problem is to take the revenge as a beautiful son of his father’s murder, but his contemplative temper cools his power of action and result in his constant procrastination. The catastrophe, to which he himself mainly contributes, sees the death of several innocent people along with him. The calamity here is too deep for tears. In Othello, too, the hero’s fall and sufferings are exceptional and stir strongly human passion and compassion. In short, some stories of an emotional calamity is found to be the substance of the famous tragedies of the world. Moreover, the calamity also happens to no average, ordinary being. It is made exceptional by the persons involve in it. The story of an exceptional calamity, represented in tragedy, centres round, sound eminent personality – some King, Queen, Prince, Princess, General, Public leader, or Man of Social Eminence. Oedipus is a King and so is Agamemnon. Medea and Antigona are both Princesses, while Hamlet is a Prince. Macbeth and Othello is great General, whereas Brutus and Antony,   is important political leaders.
12. • Besides, the persons, involved in the story fall and suffering, does not belong to a royal position or social eminence, in short to a high estate, but he or she also possesses some exceptional quality, such as a strong personality, remarkable gallantry through nobility or integrity, or selfless dedication. Oedipus’s personality and integrity, Macbeth gallantry, Hamlet’s nobility, Brutus’s idealism and Antony’s deep love and Heroism definitely raise their characters to a conspicuous tragic grandeur and derive for them both commendation and compassion in their fall and suffering.
13. • What actually strikes the tragic note is not simply death, but the acute suffering of life, which include deep sorrow, rude frustration, wretched helplessness or mental torment. What is needed foremost is an impression – the impression that is cast on the tragedy concerned and moves the audience and the readers alike.
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15. ...............Subhajeet....................