The Concept of Tragedy in Nietzsche - Essay Example

Introduction The concept of tragedy is one that has developed through the time through literature and philosophy. The association with tragedy is one that has altered because of the different understandings and actions that define the actions that lead to destruction. The definition of tragedy is first defined by the self – suffering man and the tendencies that characters have in regard to their actions and the responses that they take. Through this definition, there is a specific response that can be taken by the characters, all which leads to the end tragedies initiated by the self – suffering man. The Greek concept of tragedy, as well as Nietzsche’s association with this in The Birth of Tragedy, both demonstrate the concept of the Greek tragedy and how it is related to the self that creates the tragic situations. According to Nietzsche, the associations with tragedy led the modern man into a misunderstanding of morality and self – destruction based on fear. The challenge is to recreate the Greek tragedy into a modern understanding of living in a different society and culture. Defining Tragedy through the Greeks The concept of tragedy was first developed through the Greeks and related to different life situations which were reflected in literature. The main component of tragedy was to create an emotional response through the actions that the characters took and through the audience. As the characters created a sense of self that related to tragedy, the audience was able to relate to what was occurring and responded specifically with the emotional feeling of sadness or grief from the outcome of the play. More importantly, the tragedy and conflict that created the emotion would occur with choices that were made from an initial controversy which the characters would not be able to display in any other manner. The tragedy that occurs from the main conflict is one that is defined by the afflictions that the characters bring to the self. The way that these are responded to through the characters then becomes the major problem with the affliction and leads to the end emotional tragedy. The tragedy that occurs is at a given point and is when the self moves through the conflicts and afflictions. The final point of the tragedy is when the choices by the self lead to destruction and the inability to recover from the destruction that occurs (Silk, 293). The concepts that apply to the Greek tragedy then move into different components that the Greeks used to define tragic endings in literature as well as through life. The way that the Greeks looked at tragedy was not only related to the self – destruction that occurred. Psychological and emotional components related to this to create a different definition of what was a part of the tragedies. The psychology that was reflected in Greek tragedy was based on the idea of seeing the inner thoughts and emotions of the characters. The psychological processes that allowed the Greek tragedies to occur were based on the responses that the individual characters had and the choices they made from an initial conflict. It was the conflict and the inner psychology of the characters that led to the end destruction. Symbolism, defining the subconscious and perspectives of psychology are all used in redefining tragedy and the elements that create tragedy. For instance, many of the plays and Greek tragedies reflected the subconscious of the characters to show their responses of a specific situation. The destruction of the self didn’t come from the conscious decisions, but instead through the other, or the subconscious, which motivated the actions toward self – destruction. The movement between the conscious and subconscious then provided a struggle that was internal and external, as well as intellectual in nature (Alford, 2). Nietzsche’s Concept of Tragedy The Greek concepts that were a part of tragedy stayed a main concept in the literary techniques and philosophies of tragedy through Nietzsche. The concepts that Nietzsche gave about tragedy began to change the way that many individuals looked at tragedy and the association with self – destruction. The understanding of Greek tragedy and the affiliation with newer perspectives through the book The Birth of Tragedy, created different elements and understandings that were a part of the tragic ideologies of Nietzsche. The most specific components that Nietzsche uses is related to the dissection of the tragedy as well as how this related to the psychological and emotional responses of those that were seeing the self - destruction. More importantly, Nietzsche is able to define the way that Greeks looked at tragedy as a part of culture and through the elements that helped to define self – destruction. When Nietzsche first begins to look at tragedy and the Greek philosophies, he notes that this was a social and cultural influence of the time. The Greeks had definitions that were based on the cultural and social expectations. When one moved outside of these through other understandings of culture, they led to their own self – destruction, or tragedy. The relationship that Greeks had with tragedy and pain was the main association that Nietzsche point out through this culture. The pain that many believed was experienced in culture was reflective of what they considered as a tragedy. More importantly, Nietzsche points out that the tragic was a part of the Greeks desire to have the aesthetically pleasing and the good as a part of their culture. Anything that was outside of this, such as fear, pain, anguish or destruction became a main concept of the tragic according to the Greeks (Nietzsche, 11-14). The tragic, according to the Greeks, is one that Nietzsche begins to question, specifically in relation to the culture and the beliefs of the time. The definition of beauty and aesthetics, according to the Greeks, was not only based on self – destruction and psychological components of the culture. Nietzsche also points out that the tragic was defined by morality and the belief in the gods that were a part of the culture. Most of the tragedies that occurred in Greek literature were a direct response to one not doing the will of the gods or moving outside of the cultural associations with ritual and religion. “For in the eyes of morality, life must be seen as constantly and inevitably wicked, because life is something essentially amoral. Hence, pressed down upon this weight of contempt and eternal No’s, life must finally be experienced as something not worth desiring, as something worthless. And what about morality itself? Isn’t morality a ‘desire for the denial of life,’ a secret instinct for destruction, a principle of decay, diminution, and slander, a beginning of the end, the greatest of all dangers?” (Nietzsche, 21). The definition that Nietzsche puts on morality and God is integral to understanding the concepts of Greek tragedy. According to the Greek literature and plays, morality and disobedience to the gods was one that led to tragedy and self – destruction. However, Nietzsche states that the tragedy that has been defined is one that is associated with the belief that moving against morality is one that leads to destruction. The argument that Nietzsche creates opposes this, with the belief that it is morality that leads to destruction, as it denies life and existence. Eventually, the tragedy, as pointed out by Nietzsche, is one that begins through the use of morality and the obedience to God. The second concept that Nietzsche points out in terms of tragedy and the Greeks is related to the aesthetics and beliefs of art that is a part of the culture. The natural artistic drives that Nietzsche observes within his own culture are one that is reflected of the natural and everything that is occurring around him. More importantly, Nietzsche points out that there is a difference in the artistic presentation of tragedy as well as the aesthetics that were seen in other areas of life. The Greek festivals were ones that represented aesthetics and life through the concept of jubilee and of taking away the individuation principle, which stated that individuals had to follow specific morals for the gods. During the festivals, these were broken to express a different side of life. The results were emotional and psychological responses that showed a sense of freedom to the Greek lifestyle. When looking at this presentation, Nietzsche states that it was juxtaposed with the idea of tragedy. The festivals were representative of life and the lack of morality, which was also presented with self – destruction in the tragedy. More importantly, Nietzsche points out that the festivals were created to show how pain awakens joy within individuals, which is opposite of the messages of the Greek tragedy (47). In this context, Nietzsche is able to question the concept of aesthetics and life that was defined by the Greeks while showing that morality and aesthetics were contradictory in the belief of tragedy. The two points that show the contradiction of tragedy and the philosophy of what it means to be a tragic character in Greek myth, then moves to the concept of Nietzsche toward tragedy. It is stated by Nietzsche that the concept of tragedy is one that had to be justified by necessity. Morality and the gods were created because the psychological and emotional responses in the community saw a need for this specific culture and response from those who lived a specific lifestyle. “In order to be able to live, the Greeks must have created these gods out of the deepest necessity. We can readily imagine the sequential development of these gods:…How else could a people so emotionally sensitive, so spontaneously desiring, so singularly capable of suffering have endured their existence, unless the same qualities manifested themselves in their gods, around whom flowed a higher glory” (53). The idea of morality, as well as the concepts of the gods and disobedience as the center of tragedy is one that the Greeks thrived on with the tragic plays. However, Nietzsche points out that this specific concept was a reaction to what the culture needed at the time. The ability to identify with something outside of the identity of the self and to have existed within the culture had to have a basis. The tragedy, as defined by the Greeks, is one that Nietzsche states were a philosophy to dictate the needs and lifestyles of the time. However, the definition of tragedy is one that is limited only by the beliefs and needs of the Greeks at this time. Instead of being a definite idea of tragedy, the concept of tragedy is one that was used to justify the lives of those living in this time frame. The main necessity that Nietzsche points out with the aesthetics, religions, morality and philosophies of the Gods is based on the gap that men believed they had between themselves and the gods. The gods were defined as a higher power, according to the Greeks, which the civilization believed they had to reach. However, the concept of morality and the association with tragedy was one that was defined by what was needed in society. Political leaders, cultural expectations and individual lifestyles used the definition of tragedy to define what was right or wrong. However, more importantly than the divine law, the idea of tragedy was used as a device to dictate the lifestyles that individuals should live. Nietzsche defines tragedy as one that is not based on the gods and culture. Instead, the true defining of aesthetics and the movement away from tragedy was based on living in the natural and recognizing the aesthetics of the moment. “True tragedy leaves us, that at the bottom of everything, in spite of all the transformations in phenomena, life is indestructibly power and delightful, this consolation appears in lively clarity as the chorus of satyrs, the chorus of natural beings, who live, as it were, behind civilization, who cannot disappear, and who, in spite of all the changes in generations and a people’s history, always remain the same” (93). The main point that Nietzsche shows is that underneath the morality and the gods as a part of Greek tragedy was the natural element that moved against tragedy and which demonstrated life. The satyrs and the chorus that were a part of tragedy showed the natural and the artistic, which was more consistent. The changes of tragedy moved against this for the gods and morality that were expected in society. It can be seen from this ideal that tragedy, which was associated with morality and self – destruction, was based around the need for individuals to live in a certain way for the culture and to abide by certain laws. The concepts that Nietzsche point out with Greek tragedy then point to the modern culture and what individuals associate with as tragedy and the subconscious lead into self destruction. Nietzsche believes that the several concepts of the Greek tragedy, which were associated with the needs of society and culture of the time, had filtered into the time frame in which he lived in. The concept that relates to this is that the tragedy from the Greek plays passed into the current generations, which believed that tragedy was the movement against morality and the God that they each worshipped. More importantly, the Greek tragedy disguised the other beliefs of society such as the desire for aesthetics and the natural, such as seen through the chorus of satyrs. The result is that man’s actions led to the avoidance of tragedy with the belief that it would lead toward his downfall. From this, fear and a lack of commitment toward life were created. “The characteristic mark of that fracture which everyone habitually talks about as the root malady of modern culture, that theoretically man is afraid of his own consequences and, in his dissatisfaction, no longer dares to commit himself to the fearful ice currents of existence. He runs anxiously up and down along the shore. He no longer wants to have anything completely, any totality with all the natural cruelty of things” (218). The concept of fear, consequences and the self – destruction that was passed down from Greek tragedy then becomes the basis of man’s current problem with life and religion. Morality, God and the way that one lives life, according to Nietzsche, is frozen by the beliefs of tragedy passed down from the Greeks. Fear, anxiety and the belief that man will lead to self – destruction become the base of this argument which is created through the idea of fear of morality and of doing something wrong. Nietzsche notes that the Greeks didn’t hold this as the only element of culture and life, but only used it for culture and politics. However, he also states that modern man has taken tragedy and has created an emotional attachment to the idea of self – destruction that could occur if one disobeys concepts of morality. There are two main questions that Nietzsche points out from these observations. The first is a question of what one considers as natural and aesthetically pleasing. There is a belief that man’s fear and self – destruction has overtaken the realization that the other elements that are a part of life and the earth still exist. The other question that Nietzsche points out is under the realization of whether modern man has an understanding of true tragedy and pain and what this leads to. His realization is that men who live with the fear of tragedy and pain are also not experiencing the ideologies of life that come as a part of this. Without the beauty, harmony and experiences of pain, Nietzsche also points out that there is no experience of life. The belief is that the culture and the beliefs of the modern time period have rejected other art forms and beauty outside of the Greek, specifically because of fear and belief of destruction. The challenge that Nietzsche poses upon the ideas of modernity is to redefine art, beauty, morality and the concept of tragedy. By doing this, Nietzsche believes that one has the capability of redefining culture, lifestyle and the religious and moral associations that are a part of every individual’s way of living (240). By doing this, Nietzsche believes that there can be a transformation of the human spirit so it is not looking at fear, but instead toward aesthetics and the natural way of living. Conclusion The concepts that Nietzsche presents in terms of tragedy and the Greek is one that he defines by characteristics and expectations of what tragedy meant during this time frame. While Nietzsche points out the qualities and needs of the culture and beliefs of the time, he also questions the roots of the tragedy for modern culture. The question that Nietzsche poses in terms of tragedy is based on how much the concept of self – destruction should lead one to live in fear, especially in terms of morality and God. The belief is that tragedy has overtaken the will to live and to discover aesthetics and beauty as the current time frame and the modern understanding of tragedy. Changing the definition and belief of tragedy, according to Nietzsche, is the only way in which one can overcome the fear and destruction that follows this belief system. Works Cited Alford, Fred. The Psychoanalytic Theory of Greek Tragedy. Yale University: UK, 1992. Nietzsche, Friedrich. The Birth of Tragedy. Plain Label Books: New York, 1871. Silk, M.S. Tragedy and the Tragic: Greek Theatre and Beyond. Oxford University Press: UK, 1996. Read More