LITERARY GENRES
Lesson 2: Tragedy,
Comedy, Tragi-Comedy
Brief Introduction (Simple
Explanation in 150-200 words):
In the Elizabethan Age, drama flourished and took on various
genres. The
three major types were Tragedy, Comedy, and Tragi-Comedy.
·
Tragedy
deals with the serious
downfall of a noble hero, often due to a tragic flaw (Hamartia) or fate. It evokes pity and fear. Examples
include Hamlet and Macbeth.
·
Comedy is
light-hearted and humorous, focusing on love, mistaken identities, and happy
endings, often
resulting in marriages or reunions. Examples
include Twelfth
Night and As You Like It.
·
Tragi-Comedy blends elements of both tragedy and comedy. It
has serious
situations but
ends happily without the death of main characters. Examples
include The
Merchant of Venice
and The
Tempest.
These genres reflect the diversity and creativity of Elizabethan drama.
📝 2-Mark Questions
(Answer in 50
words):
1. What is Tragedy in
Elizabethan drama?
Answer:
Tragedy is a serious play that ends with the downfall or death of the hero, often due to a tragic flaw or fate. It
evokes pity and
fear. Example: Hamlet by
Shakespeare.
2. What is Comedy in
Elizabethan literature?
Answer:
Comedy is a play that deals with humorous situations, often involving love, confusion, and mistaken identities, ending in happiness or marriage. Example: Twelfth Night.
3. Define Tragi-Comedy.
Answer:
Tragi-Comedy combines both tragic and comic elements, dealing with serious themes but ending happily. Example: The Tempest
by Shakespeare.
4. Give an example of a
Tragedy and a Comedy by Shakespeare.
Answer:
Tragedy: Macbeth.
Comedy: As You Like It.
5. What is Hamartia?
Answer:
Hamartia is the tragic
flaw or error in judgment in the hero’s character that leads to his downfall. Example: Macbeth’s
ambition.
📝 3-Mark
Questions (Answer in 75
words):
1. Describe the main features
of Tragedy in Elizabethan drama.
Answer:
Tragedy is a serious play focusing on the fall of a noble hero. The
hero suffers because of a tragic flaw (Hamartia),
fate, or moral weakness. It
evokes pity and
fear, leading to
catharsis (emotional
cleansing).
Example: Shakespeare’s Hamlet, where
the hero’s indecision
leads to his death.
2. Explain the role of Comedy
in Elizabethan theatre.
Answer:
Elizabethan comedies are light-hearted plays focused on love, humour,
and mistaken
identities. They often involve conflict resolution and happy endings, usually concluding in marriages. Example: Twelfth Night,
where confusion in identity results in comic situations but ends happily.
3. What are the
characteristics of Tragi-Comedy?
Answer:
Tragi-Comedy blends tragic seriousness with comic
relief and ends
in happiness. Though
it contains dangerous
situations, it avoids tragedy, with no death of the main characters. Example: The Merchant of Venice, which deals with serious issues but ends with harmony and marriage.
4. Write a short note on
Shakespeare’s Tragi-Comedies.
Answer:
Shakespeare’s Tragi-Comedies
mix tragedy
and comedy,
containing serious
issues like
betrayal or revenge but ending with forgiveness
and reunion. Example: The Tempest,
where themes of revenge lead to reconciliation.
📝 6-Mark
Questions (150 words
with Side Headings):
1. Explain the features of
Elizabethan Tragedy with examples.
1. Introduction:
Tragedy was a popular genre in Elizabethan drama, dealing with
the fall of
a great hero.
2. Tragic Hero
and Hamartia:
The hero is noble and high-born, but
possesses a tragic
flaw (Hamartia),
such as ambition or jealousy, which leads to downfall.
3. Fate and
Supernatural Elements:
The plays often involve fate, prophecies,
and supernatural
elements, adding
suspense.
Example: Macbeth and the witches’ prophecies.
4. Catharsis:
Tragedy evokes pity and fear, bringing about catharsis (emotional
cleansing) in the audience.
5. Examples:
·
Hamlet: Prince Hamlet’s indecision
causes his downfall.
·
Macbeth: Macbeth’s ambition
leads to murder and death.
6. Conclusion:
Elizabethan tragedy
explores human
weaknesses, moral conflicts, and the consequences of choices.
2. Explain the characteristics
of Elizabethan Comedy with examples.
1. Introduction:
Elizabethan Comedy provides
humour, entertainment, and ends happily.
2. Themes:
The themes include love, mistaken identity, disguise, and reconciliation.
3. Plot
Structure:
·
Involves conflicts
and misunderstandings that create humour.
·
Resolved
by the end, leading to marriage or reunion.
4. Characters:
·
Characters
often use wit, cleverness, and humour.
·
Strong
female characters (e.g., Viola in Twelfth Night).
5. Examples:
·
Twelfth Night: Mistaken identities cause comic situations.
·
As You Like It: Romantic misunderstandings lead to multiple marriages.
6. Conclusion:
Comedy celebrates human joy, love, and forgiveness,
with a happy
resolution.
3. What is Tragi-Comedy? Explain its features with
examples.
1. Introduction:
Tragi-Comedy
blends tragedy
and comedy,
creating emotional
variety.
2. Serious
Themes with Happy Endings:
Although it deals with serious issues (revenge,
betrayal), it avoids a tragic ending.
3. Comic
Relief:
There is often comic relief to balance serious moments.
4. Absence of
Death:
Unlike Tragedy, it usually
avoids the death of
main characters.
5. Examples:
·
The Merchant of Venice: Serious conflict with Shylock, but ends happily.
·
The Tempest: Themes of revenge turn into forgiveness and
reunion.
6. Conclusion:
Tragi-Comedy
allows serious
reflection while
offering hopeful
resolutions.
----------------
Dr. Noojilla Srinivas
Lecturer in English, Government College (Autonomous),
Rajahmundry
Phone: 7981862200
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