1. How far do you agree with Plato’s objection to freedom of expression and artistic liberty enjoyed by creative writers? Name the texts (novels, plays, poems, movies, TV soaps etc which can be rightfully objected and banned with reference to Plato’s objections)
Plato was a philosopher who didn't like some kinds of art and writing. He thought they could be bad for people and society. Here are some examples of things he might not like:
Violent and immoral stuff: Plato wouldn't like art that shows lots of violence or bad behavior. For example, books or movies that make violence or bad things look cool could be a problem.
Art that makes people too emotional: Plato thought art could make people too emotional and not think clearly. So, he might not like really scary or intense movies or books that make people feel too much fear or anger.
Art that doesn't teach good morals: Plato believed that art should teach people good values and morals. So, he might object to art that promotes bad behavior or challenges what most people think is right.
Art that's too crazy: Plato liked things to be logical and make sense. He might not like art that's too wild, confusing, or doesn't follow any rules.
It's important to remember that Plato's ideas are from a long time ago, and modern societies have different views on freedom of expression and art. We usually value freedom of expression and art, but we also have rules to prevent things like hate speech or extreme violence in art.
Arthur Miller's play "All My Sons" (1947) aligns with Aristotle's ideas about tragedy. Aristotle said that a tragedy is a serious story with a certain size, not too long or too short, and it's told using artistic language. It's not just narrated; it happens on stage. The main goal is to make the audience feel pity and fear and then have those feelings purged or cleansed, which is what Aristotle called catharsis.
In "All My Sons," the story takes place within one day, covering eighteen hours, and the audience knows everything except the conclusion, which is the suicide of the main character, Joe Keller. The three acts of the play fit together closely. In the first act, it's hinted that something went wrong in the past, and a blown-down apple tree symbolizes a tragic event tied to Joe's son Larry, who is missing and possibly dead. Joe, a businessman, is involved in sending out defective airplane parts.
The first act is the beginning, the second is the middle, and the third is the ending of the story. This structure follows Aristotle's requirements for a tragedy. The play also embodies Aristotle's principles like eikos and enabler, seriousness, time, a reversal of circumstances (peripetia), a moment of recognition (anagnorisis), the tragic flaw (hamartia), and the feelings of pity and fear that lead to catharsis. Joe Keller, the main character, is an ordinary man, not a king or a famous soldier, and his attempts to hide his weaknesses are a central part of the story. This all makes "All My Sons" a good example of an Aristotelian tragedy.
Question 3
With the reference to the literary texts you have studied during B.A programme. Write a brief note on the texts which did NOT follow Aristotalian literary tradition. ( I.e. his concept of tragedy, catharsis, tragic hero with Hamartia)
During our B.A programme we had studied three tragedie
☆ All my Sons
☆ Tughlaq
☆ Othello
But three tragedies follows all objection of Aristotalian theory like his concept of tragedy, catharsis, tragic hero with Hamartia except the objection of Unity of time, place and action. Shakespeare had not followed the unity of time, place and action. In the play Othello, Shakespeare not followed the the unity of time, place and action.
Question 4
Have you studied any tragedies during B.A. programme? Who was/were the tragic protagonist/s in those tragedies? What was their ‘hamartia’?5. Did the ‘Plot’ of those tragedies follow necessary rules and regulations proposed by Aristotle? (Like chain of cause and effect, principle of probability and necessity, harmonious arrangement of incidents, complete, certain magnitude, unity of action etc)
Othello is the main character in the tragic play "Othello." At the start, he appears as a reasonable, patient, and noble man. Even when faced with anger from Desdemona's father, Brabantio, he handles the situation calmly like a seasoned general. He doesn't get upset when his ensign, Iago, tries to provoke him against Desdemona's father. Othello's background in war and adventure has won him a wife, which speaks to his character and virtues. However, he ultimately brings about his own downfall because of a significant flaw.
Othello's tragic flaw, or hamartia, is that he is remarkably gullible, insanely jealous, and too quick to make wrong judgments and take actions. His error in judgment lies in wrongly thinking innocent people, like his wife Desdemona, are guilty, and blindly trusting villains like Iago. He's a complex character. While his sexual jealousy makes us strongly dislike him, it would be more understandable if it were based on reason. But Othello's jealousy is rooted in his disturbingly gullible nature. As the play unfolds, Othello goes from being noble to a deeply flawed person, culminating in him killing his innocent wife and attempting to justify this terrible crime.
In short, Othello's fall is tragic and even shocking. His ultimate act of suicide is seen as a way to atone for his sin, and it may stir some sympathy in the audience.
Aristotle believed that the most important part of a tragedy is the plot, which he defined as the way the events are arranged and presented to the audience. He thought that tragedies with a tightly connected chain of actions, where one event leads to another, were better than those where the character's personality was the main focus. According to Aristotle, a good plot should have a clear beginning, middle, and end, with a single main story. It should also be of a certain size, not too long or too short. The plot can be simple or complex.
In the play "All My Sons," we can see how it follows Aristotle's rules for a good plot. It has a beginning where we see the tragic elements in the third act. The middle part shows Chris realizing the harsh reality that people often prioritize their own interests over others', which is tragic for him. The end of the play is marked by Larry's recognition that the lives of soldiers are sometimes seen as expendable, leading him to make a powerful statement against war. Joe's suicide is also a tragic moment because it's his way of dealing with his past wrongs. This complexity in the plot aligns with Aristotle's idea that a plot can be either simple or complex.
In the case of Shakespeare's "Othello," the play mostly follows Aristotle's principles of tragedy, but it deviates in terms of the concept of time, place, and action. Othello starts as a reasonable and noble character but becomes a typical tragic figure due to his serious flaws of being gullible, overly jealous, and making quick, irrational judgments. Towards the end of the play, he commits a terrible crime by killing his innocent wife, and he tries to justify it. This is a complex plot, as Aristotle allows for, showing Othello's transformation from a noble character to a deeply flawed one.
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