dryden’s views on tragicomedy
TRANSCRIPT
AJIT A. KALIYAM.A. SEM 1ROLL NO. 3
ENROLLMENT NO. 2069108420170013
BATCH 2016-18DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH,
MKBU
Dryden’s Views On Tragicomedy
John Dryden(1631-1700)
Definition of Tragicomedy
Tragicomedy is a literary genre that blends aspects of both tragic and comic forms. Most often seen in dramatic literature. The term can variously describe either a tragic play which contains enough comic elements to lighten the overall mood or a serious play with a happy ending (Wikipedia)
Dryden’s Tragicomedy
It is a defense of modern English drama by John Dryden.
Theory of tragicomedy is given in his essay “Of Dramatic Poesie” in 1668.
Neander(represent Dryden) defends tragicomedy.
Dryden’s Definition of Play
“A play ought to be a just and lively image of human nature, representing its passions and humors, and the changes of fortune to which it is subject for the delight and instruction of mankind.”
Defends tragicomedy on the following grounds:
• Contrast when placed near, set of each other.• A scene of mirth has the same effect on us as
music. In other words a comic scene produces relief.
• Mirth does not destroy compassion the serious effect which tragedy aims at is not disturbed by mingling of tragic and comic.
Just as the eye can pass from an unpleasant to pleasant object, soul can move from tragic to the comic.
The English have prepared a new way of writing not known to the ancients. If they had tragicomedy perhaps Aristotle would have revised his rules.
What pleased the Greeks would not satisfy an English audience. It is all a question of progress of the change of taste.
“Mingling of mirth with serious plot”
French plays =
Beauties of statue, but not of a man
Summary In Two Lines
Simple meaning of all this is life is a mixture of happiness and sorrows and play should be reflection of life, so in play also should be mixture of sorrows and happiness.
Source
Of Dramatic Poesy - John Dryden