Renaissance Tragedy. Why not change things up?

Transcription

1 Renaissance Tragedy Why not change things up?

2 Classic Tragedy with a Twist Like many writers of the Renaissance, Shakespeare found inspiration in the classics, looking to the Greeks as masters of the tragedy. The Renaissance playwrights revived many classic forms, including tragedy, as well as storylines.

3 Classic Tragedy with a Twist Renaissance tragedies end with a morbid twist: the protagonist dies. This is in stark contrast with Greek tragedies in which the protagonist often lives.

4 Tragic Forms During the Renaissance, various forms of the tragedy emerged: Tragedy of circumstance Tragedy of miscalculation Revenge tragedy

5 Tragedy of Circumstance Most tragedies of circumstance deal with some form of a monarch who is born into a certain circumstance rather than choosing it. Hamlet, for example, is born as the Prince of Denmark. His uncle, Claudius, chooses to marry Hamlet s mother in an effort to grab the throne. The tragedy in this type revolves around circumstance rather than a character s decision. The basis of Hamlet s tragedy lies in his circumstance, not his choice.

6 Tragedy of Miscalculation The basis of this tragedy lies directly in a choice made by a character. Macbeth, for example, despite having taken the witches warning to heart, plots with Lady Macbeth to kill Duncan, the king of Scotland. This proves to be a serious miscalculation when Duncan s son returns with an army to avenge his father s murder, resulting in the death of the Macbeths. Look for a serious miscalculation in the end of Hamlet.

7 Revenge Tragedy Revenge tragedies often combine elements of both circumstance and miscalculation. Revenge tragedies became quite popular during the Renaissance. Hamlet has many features of the popular revenge tragedies of the day.

8 Influences on Renaissance Tragedy Aristotle Seneca Medieval drama: Miracle and Morality Plays

9 Seneca Introduced the five-act structure Introduced the use of a chorus to comment on rather than participate in the action Stock characters: ghost; cruel tyrant; faithful male servant; female confidante Violent acts often reported by messenger rather than acted out on stage Sensational themes, often leading to revenge and retribution

10 Seneca High rhetorical style Hyperbole: extreme exaggeration for effect Aphorism: Concise statement of a principle: Life is short. Epigram: A wise saying, often antithetical: Man proposes but God disposes. Stichomythia: Repartee which resembles a verbal fencing match; words are echoed and repeated. Soliloquy: Speech delivered while character is alone (solus) intended to communicate his thoughts

11 Seneca The Senecan influence caused Elizabethan drama to move from an exposition of events or even the play as an allegory for life to a way to explore human emotion, why we do the things we do.

12 Seneca Seneca was a famous Roman playwright. His plays were notable for bloody events and a high body count. In some of Shakespeare s plays (Julius Caesar), a lot of bloody conflict occurs off stage. Seneca s influence created the expectation that a good Elizabethan tragedy would involve the death of the protagonist.

13 The Three Unities This notion is straight from Aristotle. In their neoclassical form, they include Unity of action: action of the play should include one main action with few sub-plots. Unity of place: the action should include one place and the stage should represent one place Unity of time: the action of the play should occur during a period no more than a day. Shakespeare clearly moves away from this notion as is clear in Hamlet.

14 Renaissance Tragedy: Classical Influence Altered the classical three act structure to five acts. Included three characters of noble rank Play should begin in medias res (in the middle of things) Use noble language Violence in general should occur off-stage

15 Medieval Drama Refers to the drama of the Middle Ages Grew out of the church and liturgy Began as tropes, musical liturgies sung in Latin that told the story of the Resurrection Sung or spoken by priests who played angels and the three Marys at the tomb of Christ

16 Renaissance Tragedy: Medieval Influence The tropes moved out of the church. They were performed outside the church and in the vernacular. The trade guilds became the acting troupes which took over the productions.

17 Medieval Drama: Mystery Plays Great cycles emerged that told the plan of salvation from Creation to Judgment Day. This served as the Church s way to explain the stories of the Bible to its illiterate people. These plays became known as mystery plays.

18 Medieval Drama: Miracle Plays Other plays depicting the lives of the saints and the miracles performed by the saints (especially Mary) emerged around These are called miracle plays.

19 Medieval Drama: Morality Plays Morality plays emerged later, around These were allegories, in which abstract virtues (mercy, justice) appeared personified and competed for a human soul. Dramatization of a moral allegory.

20 Medieval Drama: Interludes Developed in late 15 th and early 16 th century. Word play brief enough to be performed in an interval of a play, performance, or feast. Featured realistic detail and treatment of material. Focused on witty word play. Moved drama away from the spiritual, didactic tone of the miracle, mystery, and morality plays.

21 Medieval Drama: Cycle Plays Played outdoors on pageant wagons. Think Macy s Thanksgiving parade. Later played on outdoor stages. The crowd moved from stage to stage. Three themes: Old Testament: Creation to the Prophets New Testament: Birth of Christ Death and Resurrection of Christ

22 Medieval Drama: Cycle Plays Became so secularized that the Church disapproved. Introduced comic elements. Added scenes unnecessary to the dramatic action. Beginning of comic relief.