IB English HL Year II

Part III: Genre Studies (Drama)

V. Quinn and A. Heusterberg-Richards
Aristotelian elements of drama

DIRECTIONS: Track the Aristotelian elements of tragedy as they appear (or do not) in our dramas. Be specific to moments/lines in the dramas.
Hamlet Rosencrantz and The Birthday Party Doctor Faustus
(Shakespeare) Guildenstern Are Dead (Pinter) (Marlowe)
(Stoppard)

The tragic hero Hamlet Rosencrantz Meg

How defined a tragic - - fall from major character, to - throws a party for Stan
hero a minor character
* "must be good"
* "[must] aim at
proprietary"
* "[must be] true to life"

The hamartia of said Fear of death, fear of being Obliviousness Devotion to Stanley
tragic hero (flaw) damned to hell

The peripeteia (ironic Being haunted by his ghost The entire play is about them Stanley never gives her the
situation) father, and wanting to kill dying, and everyone seems light of day, and really
his uncle to understand this but them doesnt care about her

The catastrophe Everyone thinks hes crazy, When they see the play, and During the party, Stanley
(fall/reversal of fortune) and he attempts to kill his see both of them dead (82) strangles her
uncle. While doing so, he
kills Polonius

The anagnorisis When he denies Horatio to
(recognition/acceptance) die with him (showing he
isnt scared to face this
alone) and then dies
(calling death happiness)
When they read the letter,
and learn theyre supposed
to die
They had it in for us, didnt
they? Right from the
The next morning, Goldberg
bars her from entering the
room, and she realizes that
Stanley doesnt really need
her all the time
 beginning. Whod have
thought we were so
important? (122)

The audiences catharsis Him dying Him disappearing By the end, Stanley is gone
(purge of fear/pity) All right, then. I dont care. from the house, but Meg has
Ive had enough. To tell you yet to find out
the truth, Im relieved (125)