Claim OwnershipWhat is Tragedy?
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Description
Tragedy has been around for over 2500 years, from its earliest manifestations in the huge open-air gathering-places of Athens and other Greek city-states, to the theatres of Renaissance England, Spain and France, right through to the twentieth century with its cinematic tragedies, and the disturbing works of Harold Pinter and Samuel Beckett. In four dialogues, Oliver Taplin, Emeritus Professor, and Joshua Billings, a graduate student in the Oxford Classics Faculty, ask and discuss what tragedy is, what tragedy does for people, whether tragedy teaches, and if tragedy is still alive today.
4 Episodes
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2Discussion on whether tragedy still exists in modern culture, whether in films, modern theatre or and other creative arts.
Third dialogue on the nature of tragedy where they talk about whether tragic theatre teaches people, and if it does, how and what does it teach?
A discussion of what the use of tragedy is, and whether the emotional experience of tragic theatre is simply a passing thrill or a vital part of life.
First dialogue between Oliver Taplin and Joshua Billings on tragedy: they discuss what 'tragedy' means, from its origins in Greek culture to philosophical notions of what tragedy and tragic drama are.
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This was a disappointing conversation; the titular question is never answered & instead we get only examples. To fill this void, try this out on the few tragic dramas which have come down to us from classical Athens. A tragedy involves a hero or heroine with a tragic character flaw, often hubris, which leads to a reprehensible action for which they are eventually punished. Tragedies are didactic works in that they are cautionary tales to educate the audience while entertaining them.