Macbeth - Tragedy Or Satire :: essays research papers

William Shakespeare wrote four great tragedies, the last of which was written in 1606 and highborn Macbeth. This "tragedy", as it is considered by societal critics of yesterdays literary realness, scrutinizes the evil property of conflict, offering a dark and gloomy atmosphere of a world dominated by the powers ofdarkness. Macbeth, more so than any of Shakespeares other tragical protagonists, has to face the powers and decide should he succumb or should he stomach? Macbeth understands the reasons for resisting evil and yet he proceeds with a disastrous plan, instigated by the prophecies of the three Weird Sisters. Thus we must ask the question If Macbeth is acting on the impulses stimulated by the prophecies of his indispensableness, is this Shakespearean work of art actually a calamity? Aristotle, one of the greatest men in the account of charitable thought, interpreted Tragedy as a genre aimed to endow a heightened and harmonious imitation of nature, and, in par ticular, those aspects of nature that touch nearly closely upon human life. This I think Macbeth attains. However, Aristotle adds a few conditions. concord to Aristotle, a tragedy must have six parts plot, caseful, diction, thought, spectacle, and song. around important is the plot, the structure of the incidents. Tragedy is not an imitation of men, but of do and life. It is by mens actions that they acquire happiness or sadness. Aristotle stated, in result to Plato, that tragedy produces a healthful effect on the human character through a katharsis, a "proper purgation" of "pity and terror." A successful tragedy, then, exploits and appeals at the start to two basic emotions fear and pity. Tragedy deals with the element of evil, with what we least want and most fear to face, and with what is destructive to human life and values. It also draws out our ability to sympathize with the tragic character, intuitive senseing some of the impact of the evil ourselves. Do es Macbeth succeed at this level? sess the indorser feel pity and terror for Macbeth? Or does the reader feel that Macbeth himself is merely a branch from the root of all evil and not the poor, forsaken, fate-sunken man, according to Aristotles idea of tragedy, he is supposed to portray? Can the reader "purge" his emotions of pity and fear by placing himself in the chains of fate Macbeth has been imprisoned in? Or does he feel the power and rapaciousness upon which Macbeth thrives, prospers, and finally falls?