SINDH COURIER
The theoreticians of ancient Greek tragedy
Had laid down, and it remains unchallenged still,
That a tragic hero is essentially a good man.
A poem by Dr. Jernail S. Anand which challenges the established thought
Dr. Jernail Singh Anand, President of the Chandigarh-based International Academy of Ethics, is author of 167 books in English poetry, fiction, non-fiction, philosophy and spirituality. He was awarded Charter of Morava, the great Award by Serbian Writers Association, Belgrade and his name was engraved on the Poets’ Rock in Serbia. The Academy of Arts and philosophical Sciences of Bari [Italy] honoured him with the award of an Honourable Academic. Recently, he was awarded Doctor of Philosophy [Honoris Causa] by the University of Engineering and Management, Jaipur. Recently, he organized an International Conference on Contemporary Ethics at Chandigarh. His most phenomenal book is Lustus: The Prince of Darkness [first epic of the Mahkaal Trilogy]. Email: anandjs55@yahoo.com
Link Bibliography:
https://sites.google.com/view/bibliography-dr-jernal-singh/home
THE TRAGIC HERO
The theoreticians of ancient Greek tragedy
Had laid down, and it remains unchallenged still,
That a tragic hero is essentially a good man,
Who, due to a weaknesses in his character,
Makes an error of judgement and
Digresses into evil.
His suffering brings up feelings of pity and fear,
And his death brings a flood of relief
And also effects a catharsis
Leaving the audience relieved and purged.
The tragic genius of the Greeks
Perhaps could not comprehend
The inverse dimension of tragedy,
In which an evil person,
When touched emotionally,
Digresses into good also,
Bringing a flood of tears
In the eyes of the audience
Effecting a catharsis of the feelings
Of pity and fear, which a tragedy performs.
Inverse tragedy is the Indian counterpart
Of the western tragic thought.
The Indian genius gives space
To tragedy, but believes that
No man is born evil.
Nor does fate hound a person like Oedipus.
Evil are the circumstances
Which become the cause of suffering
And whenever emotionally touched,
The man returns to his innate goodness.
If we blindly follow Aristotle
And doggedly insist
That tragedy is the result of
A good man going the Devil’s way
Due to a flaw in his character,
I feel Inverse Tragedy counterbalances
What Aristotle says!
A hero run down by adverse circumstances
Suffers indignities of fate,
Yet by an Impulse of Judgement
Discovers his lost strength of character
And acts like Greek heroes
Turning tragedies on their face
And emerges with tragic glory
From the debris of fate.
***
A CRITIQUE OF THIS POEM
Dr. Jernail S. Anand’s poem presents a thought-provoking critique of the traditional Western concept of tragedy, as defined by Aristotle, and offers an alternative perspective on the nature of tragedy and the tragic hero.
The poem challenges the idea that a tragic hero must be a good person who falls due to a weakness or error in judgment. Instead, Dr. Anand proposes the concept of “Inverse Tragedy,” where an evil person can transform into a good one, evoking feelings of pity, fear, and ultimately, catharsis.
This “Indian counterpart” to Western tragic thought emphasizes the potential for redemption and the belief that no one is born evil. Circumstances, rather than fate, lead to suffering, and emotional connections can help individuals rediscover their innate goodness.
Dr. Anand’s poem also highlights the importance of context and cultural perspective in shaping our understanding of tragedy. By presenting an alternative narrative, “Inverse Tragedy” encourages us to reconsider our assumptions about the human condition and the nature of suffering.
The poem’s final lines, “A hero run down by adverse circumstances / … Discovers his lost strength of character / And acts like Greek heroes / Turning tragedies on their face / And emerges with tragic glory / From the debris of fate,” suggest a powerful reimagining of the tragic hero archetype, one that emphasizes resilience, growth, and the potential for transformation in the face of adversity.
Overall, Dr. Anand’s poem offers a compelling and thought-provoking exploration of the complexities of tragedy and the human experience.
History of Critical Analysis of Aristotle’s Theory of Tragedy
Aristotle’s theory of the tragic hero and catharsis has been challenged and critiqued by various scholars and thinkers throughout history. Here are some examples:
- Romantic critics (18th-19th centuries): Romantics like Friedrich Nietzsche and Walter Pater argued that Aristotle’s emphasis on reason and intellect overlooked the importance of emotion and imagination in tragedy.
- Friedrich Nietzsche (19th century): Nietzsche challenged Aristotle’s notion of catharsis, arguing that it reinforced conventional moral values and stifled individual creativity.
- Sigmund Freud (20th century): Freud reinterpreted catharsis in psychoanalytic terms, suggesting that it represented a release of repressed emotions rather than a purging of negative ones.
- Poststructuralist critics (20th century): Thinkers like Jacques Derrida and Roland Barthes questioned the idea of a fixed, essentialized tragic hero, arguing that meaning is always in flux and context-dependent.
- Feminist critics (20th century): Feminist scholars like Helene Cixous and Luce Irigaray challenged the gender biases in Aristotle’s theory, arguing that it neglected the experiences and perspectives of women.
- Postcolonial critics (20th-21st centuries): Scholars like Edward Said and Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak critiqued the Eurocentrism and cultural imperialism underlying Aristotle’s theory, highlighting its limitations in addressing non-Western tragic traditions.
- Contemporary scholars (21st century): Researchers continue to refine and expand Aristotle’s ideas, incorporating insights from psychology, sociology, and cultural studies to better understand the complexities of tragedy and catharsis.
These challenges and critiques have enriched our understanding of tragedy and catharsis, encouraging ongoing debates and refinements to Aristotle’s original ideas.