Shakespeares Macbeth - Aristotelian Tragedy :: Macbeth essays

Macbeth Aristotelian Tragedy                  The  definition of tragedy in an draw from Aristotles Poetics isthe re-creation, complete within itself, of an important moral action.  Therelevance of Aristotles Poetics to Shakespe ares black market Macbeth defines the reservation of a dramatic tragedy and presents the general principles of theconstruction of this genre.      Aristotles attention throughout most of his Poetics is directed towardsthe requirements and expectations of the maculation.  Plot, the soul of tragedy,Aristotle says, must, be an imitation of a alarming and complete action.    InMacbeth, Shakespear provides a complete action, that is it has what Aristotleidentifies as a beginning, a middle, and an end.  These divisible sections must,and do in the case of Macbeth, meet the criterion of their respective(prenominal) placement.In an excerpt from Aristotl es Poetics it states           The separate parts into which tragedy is dual-lane are Prologue,Episode, Exodus, Choric songs, this last being divided into Parodos and Stasimon.The prologos is that entire part of a tragedy which precedes the Parodos of theChorus.  The Episode is that entire part of a tragedy which is betwixt completechoric songs.  The Exodos is that entire part of a tragedy which has no choricsong after it.  Of the Choric part the Parodos is the first undivided utteranceof the Chorus. Shakespeare follows this precise cut backment of parts to tellhis news report of Macbeth.  Macbeth is divided into five acts.  It contains aPrologue, Episode, Exodus, Parodos and Stasimon, but is the only one ofShakespeares plays that does not accommodate Choric songs.  This does not dismissMacbeth as a tragedy in the Aristotelian sense, because it still followsAristotles fundamental component of a plot.  That the arrangement of actionsand episodes arrange themselves into a causally connected, seamless whole.The ideal arrangement of action into a plot is Exposition, Inciting Action,Rising Action, Turning Point(Climax), Falling Action, and Denouement.  Macbethfollows each of these steps while introducing a new question e very(prenominal) moment thatkeeps our interest.  That is called dramatic tension, a very important part of atragedy to keep the audiences attention at all times.         To make Macbeths plot a complete action, according to Aristotle, thestory must contain an trip circumstance, a disclosure, and a reversal ofaction.  The activating circumstance in Macbeth is the three witches.  Macbethand Banqou meet three witches that posses supernatural powers and harbinger thetwo mens futures.  It is part of the wicked sisters role in the play to act asthe forces of fate.  These hags lead Macbeth on to destroy himself.  Their