Tragedy Terminology in King Lear
Tragedy Terminology
King Lear Elements of Tragedy in King Lear
General Classification of King Lear
King Lear is categorized as a chronicle play.
Chronicle plays draw historical materials from English chronicles, particularly those from the sixteenth century, like Holinshed’s chronicles.
Despite this classification, King Lear integrates various tragic elements from different traditions:
Senecan Tragedy (Classical Tragedy)
Involves elements like sensational themes relating to Greek mythology.
Common themes are blood and lust.
Diversion of character types, such as stock characters and the moral archetypes from morality plays.
Morality Play Elements
Morality plays depict characters who exemplify virtues or vices prominently.
Characters embodying these traits include Edmund, Regan, and Goneril (representing avarice, envy, lust, and pride) vs. Edgar and Cordelia (symbolizing faithfulness and unconditional love).
Protagonist and Hamartia
Protagonist's Role in Tragedy
The protagonist is not extremely virtuous or unjust, whose fate results from a hamartia.
Hamartia Definition (Aristotle): A protagonist's downfall is triggered by an error, which may be a misjudgment or a failure to act.
Lear’s specific hamartia is described as his arbitrary division of his kingdom and disowning Cordelia for her refusal to flatter him.
Senecan Influence and Character Types
Characteristics of Senecan Influence
The use of stock characters, such as a dedicated male servant (e.g., Kent).
The balance of good and evil character representations.
Unique to Elizabethan tragedies is the focus on psychological horror, with most violent acts happening offstage while retaining some gruesome scenes (like Gloucester’s blinding) to cater to audience preferences.
Key Terminology in Tragedy
Aside: A theatrical device where a character speaks directly to the audience, unaware of others listening, revealing internal thoughts.
Catharsis: A Greek term meaning "purgation" or "cleansing". In tragedy, it involves an emotional release through pity and fear.
Comic Relief: Humorous scenes included to alleviate intense drama and emotional weight.
Dramatic Foil: A character whose contrasting traits highlight another character’s qualities.
Dramatic Irony: A scenario where the audience understands more than the character, leading to a reversal of expectation.
Exposition: Introductory information revealing vital details about characters and circumstances necessary for understanding the narrative.
Hamartia: A tragic mistake or flaw leading to downfall.
Hubris: An excessive pride or arrogance that leads a character to disregard warnings, resulting in their downfall (a specific type of hamartia).
Monologue: A lengthy speech delivered by one character, which may address another character, oneself, or the audience for revealing thoughts.
Paradox: A statement that seems contradictory yet may hold truth.
Pathos: The ability of literature to evoke pity and sorrow in the audience, enhancing empathetic responses to tragedy.
Peripeteia: The turning point in a tragedy where the hero’s fortunes change—from favorable to disastrous.
Pun: A wordplay exploiting multiple meanings or similar-sounding words.
Resolution/Catastrophe: The conclusion of the narrative where main characters face death and unresolved plot lines are concluded.
Situational Irony: The discrepancy between what is expected to occur and what actually happens.
Soliloquy: A character’s monologue alone on stage that reveals personal thoughts.
Tragedy: A genre where a noble protagonist faces downfall from confronting higher forces, leading to understanding and acceptance of consequences.
Tragic Dilemma: A situation where characters with good intentions justify harmful means in pursuit of noble ideals.
Tragic Flaw: A character trait that leads to a series of unfortunate reversals for the protagonist.
Tragic Hero: A character that possesses flaws or makes errors that ultimately lead to a reversal of fortune.
Verbal Irony: A use of language to convey a meaning that is opposite to its literal definition.
Summary
King Lear is a multifaceted tragic work that incorporates various elements from classical tragedy, Senecan influences, and morality plays, focusing on human emotions, the consequences of misjudgment, and the moral lessons that arise from the tragic flaws of its characters. Each term in tragedy highlights different aspects of the narrative structure and character development, enriching the understanding of the tragic genre as a whole.