Tragedy:

Is a representation of a meaningful and complete action, expressed in artistic language, performed rather than narrated. It should evoke pity and fear in the audience

The Six Elements of Tragedy

  • Plot (structure of events)
  • Character (moral qualities of protagonists)
  • Diction (language and expression)
  • Thought (themes and messages)
  • Spectacle (visual elements)
  • Song (musical and rhythmic aspects)

The Structure of a Good Plot

  • The beginning should not follow from anything else by necessity but should initiate the sequence of events.
  • The middle follows naturally from the beginning.
  • The end follows logically from the middle and concludes the action.

The Best Type of Tragic Plot

  • A great tragedy should have a complex plot, meaning it should include reversals of fortune (Peripeteia) and recognition (Anagnorisis). The story should make the audience feel pity and fear, which leads to catharsis.

The Importance of Probability in Storytelling

  • It is better for a story to include extraordinary events that seem believable than to have mundane events that seem unlikely. The audience must accept what happens as logically plausible within the story’s world.