Part one of term paper
William Shakespeare is the noted author of a vast array of plays, ranging from comedies to histories to tragedies. Perhaps one of his most famous in the tragedy genre is Macbeth. Though Shakespeare can be considered as a scholar in the sense that he was both a renowned and prolific playwright, look back a few hundred years to find Aristotle, ...

Part two of term paper
... Aristotle, a tragedy is "an imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude." It also should "excite pity or fear" in the spectator. An important concept of tragedy is that of "katharsis" or "purgation". By that, Aristotle means that the spectators feel for the characters onstage, and in doing so, undergoes a so-called "cleansing of the soul." Though the concept of katharsis is increasingly important in the play, there are six specific elements that make up a tragedy; ...