MODERN TRAGEDY BY RAYMOND WILLIAM
TRAGEDY AND CONTEMPORARY IDEAS
Q.) What are Raymond Willam's views regarding culture and contemporary ideas? (2013)
Ans. Raymond Williams (1921-1988) is undoubtedly a great critic, journalist, historian, political commentator, dramatist, and novelist of the last century. He holds a prominent position in the field of literary criticism. His work in the field of literary criticism is very important, as it gave new dimensions to it. He had a natural instinct of observing, analyzing, and interrupting, which helped him a lot to become a critic of the first rank. His own sense of tradition and history really contributed to making him a versatile critic and philosopher.
"Tragedy and Contemporary Ideas" is basically an essay about a tragedy about contemporary ideas. Raymon Williams tried to present those tragic varieties of tragic experiences through which passed during his literary career. He compares tragedy with tragic experiences of modern life and with past tragedies and assets on the need of rejecting the contemporary idea of tragedy. Tragedy in life is permanent and inevitable but its views and intensity keep changing like the ordinary changes of life.
Modern Magic Theory was formed in the 19th century and it is based upon the cultural changes that took place in that age. The economic system changed from agriculture to industrial and this also transformed the political system. The old order of kingship and feudalism was replaced by democracy.
Democracy is the rule of common people
Thus, for the first time in history, the individual, the common man became important. These social and political changes also affected the literature and arts. For the first time in history, the Aristotelian concept of tragedy was questioned. Why is that tragedy can only be about the death of kings and princes? This question forced the critics to re-evaluate the norms of the traditional tragic theory.
The modern tragic theory was based upon the concept that the common man and their problems can be the subject of tragedy. Therefore, the writers related to this age started writing tragedies in which common people and women (Hedda) were central characters. Domestic and local problems, phycological conflicts, and social issues became the major themes of tragedy. In this way, we can see that modern tragedy is written following modern tragic theory.
But the tragic theory says that modern tragedy is impossible. The tragedies of kings and princes produce tragic effects but the tragedy of the common man fails to inspire the audience. Also in ancient times, there was a tragedy because there was a proper order or system of beliefs. Tragedy rose out of this system of belief and religion but in modern times there is no system of belief as there is no religious discussion. People do not believe in gods, fate, and necessity. This is also the reason that modern tragedy is a failure.
Raymond Williams belief that all human history is a tale of conflict between the haves (rich) and the have not (poor).
Raymond William discussed the major points of the tragic theories:
𝟷. Order and Accident
𝟸. The Destruction of the Hero
𝟹. The Irreparable Action
𝟺. The Emphasis of Evil
In Order and Accident, he argues that the conventional concept does not recognize an accident as a tragedy. The tragedy of the common man is considered to be an "everyday tragedy". Many critics are of the view that accidents cannot be considered as a tragedy. If some person dies in a road accident it is not tragic and we cannot use the word tragedy for this accident.
The word tragedy can only be used for a particular kind of dramatic art which originated in Greek 2500 years ago. These critics did two reasons on the basics which we cannot call accident as tragic.
First:
An accident in itself not tragic but it appears to be so because of the response of the other people when they look at it and feel sad.
Second:
An accident cannot have a universal meaning. But our circumstances should be the theme of tragedy.
Raymond Williams says that all this discussion about the impossibility of modern tragedy is not based upon facts. Even though the tragic theory says that modern tragedy is impossible yet many great works of tragedy were written in the 20th century.
Graduate Tory was formulated in the 19 century and we cannot accept it as absolute; also creative work is more important than theory. We should value do original works of tragic writing and analyze them by making a comparison with traditional works.
Raymond Williams does not agree with the first objection on the ground that one cannot distinguish between an event and the response to an event. Both are connected with each other and one follows the other inevitably.
Raymond says:
"If an event does not earn a response it does not mean that it has no response. Indifference to an event is also the kind of response"
When a common person dies in an accident, his death is a tragedy for his family and friends. If we do not feel anything then it is a statement about us and not about the accident.
The second objection of the accident cannot be linked with any general and universal meaning. This objection is based upon the current concept of.
William believed that:
Tragedy encompasses all high and low together, thus do believe that only the death of Prince tragedy, is absolutely incorrect.
According to Raymond Williams:
"A mining disaster, but a burned-out family, a broken career, or a smash on the road all our tragic incidents"
The concept of general meaning was actually based upon the ideology of the class structure. In ancient societies, people believe that kings were appointed by God himself. They were grand and normal human beings. The death is more significant than the common individual because the fate of the city is associated with them as Oedipus Rex. And this is the way it would be clear that when a king dies, his death would have general meaning. So, the concept of general meaning is that is not based upon some fact but it wasn't a good offer particular class structure. Raymond brings another aspect of the tragedy under discussion. He says:
"Order is the result of tragic action."
The concept of order is very important in the discussion of tragedy.
"Order means a system of design that is the foundation of all our beliefs"
When a person says that he believes in God, hereafter, and fate, he is also referring to the order of religion. Greeks believed that all the aspects of social, political, and individual life were controlled by God and faith and thus they also believed in order.
The relation between order and disorder is correct. There is always some disorder that is corrected by order. The pride of Oedipus Rex is a disorder that is corrected by the forces responsible to create balance in society. It is true to say that:
"Each culture has its own meaning of order."
Aristotle believed that tragedies can only be about kings and princes, which shows that he was under influence of prevalent in his time. Thus order and disorder both vary in culture according to their interpretation of life.
Raymond moves very cautiously to challenge the foundation of another customary belief that stability of belief is needed for tragedy. In modern times, people do not believe in Gods, fate, or necessity, and in other words, they do not believe in the order of religion or in order.
The problem of order an accident has arisen and because the critics think that order exists outside a tragedy. In fact, in a tragedy, we come to know about the order through disorder. When the action opens the hero has disturbed the order and now to restore that order, the hero must represent his sacrifice as Oedipus disturbs this order by committing incest and regicide and in the end, the order is restored with this expulsion from the city. We should also keep in view that there does not exist the concept of absolute order.
Every society interprets and defines in its own order. Therefore we cannot interpret modern societies' tragedies keeping in view the order of the past societies. There is also another observation that tragedy does not occur in the period of stable order nor does it occur in the age of conflict. The most important periods of tragedy were those in which society was moving from belief to doubt. Raymond Williams digs deep into the meanings and actions of tragedy. He says that:
The most common interpretation of tragedy is that it is an action in which the hero is destroyed or died.
Almost all tragedies end with the destruction of the hero. This interpretation is partially true, but in fact, tragedy is not about the death of the hero alone. The hero is indeed destroyed but this does not give an end to the tragedy. After the death of the hero, a few and spiritual forces take his place.
Greek tragedy ends with a religious affirmation that nobody can question the wisdom of gods and the presence of the chorus suggests that society is still there. As we see in Oedipus Rex that the city is purged as if as it's corruption at the end and Creon takes over the throne. In the Elizabeth tragedy, it is ordinarily a change of power in the state with the arrival of a new Prince. As we see in Hamlet Fortinbras becomes the king after the death of hamlets family and in Othello after the death of Othello, Casio becomes the governor of Cyprus.
Usually, the restoration is considered less important. The audience thinks that the important action has ended with the death of the hero and any other affirmation settlement or restoration is almost insignificant. Moreover, William says that:
"We are addicted to confine our attention to the hero, and in this way, we unconsciously confine ourselves to one kind of experience. We think of tragedy as what happened to the hero but the modern tragedy is what happens through the hero"
The hero acts just as an agent in the tragic process. Tragic action is not about an individual but it transcends the individual. The tragic action includes in it not only the death of the hero but also the restoration and reaffirmation that occurs after his death.
The irreparable action cannot be remedied or rectified. As "Oedipus's" action of incest is irreparable. It is a kind of permanent loss. It is a common interpretation that the death of the hero in the tragedy is irreparable action. This interpretation overlooks the other aspects of tragic action. Raymond William believes that:
"Death is not an irreparable action in tragedy."
Rather the focus is upon a life that breaks on the fact of death. Death gives meaning and importance to life when we see death, naturally, we draw together in grief as a social duty of burial.
Death is absolute and all our living simply relative, death is necessary and all other human ends are contingent. Death is universal and anything tied to it quickly claims universality. The connection between death and tragedy is quite evident, but in reality, it is variable as our response to death is variable. Raymond says:
"Tragic action is about death yet it needs not to end with heroes death; it ends with the affirmation of certain social and religious dogmas"
In the past cultures the hero was not considered alone and his death was not only the death of an individual. In past tragedies, the hero was considered part of social, political, and metaphysical order. Therefore the death of the hero cannot be considered irreparable. The tragic action is about death but it needs not to end in death.
What is irreparable in tragedy is the loss of connection between the individuals
Oedipus does not die at the end but his connections with his family and people are permanently broken and this is a tragedy.
Another important element and tragedy is the emphasis on evil. Classical tragedy throws light on the presence of transcendental evil but the evil that is present and human nature is neglected. Raymond thinks that:
Human evil causes to build concentration camps, destruction of civilization to atomic bombs.
Tragedy dramatizes different forms of the world. In tragedy, evil is shown as a triumphant force.
In modern culture, just like death, evil is also considered absolute.
It is everywhere and we cannot escape it. Man considers himself civilized and rational but the modern horrors of wars and concentration camps in which Nazi has tortured and killed millions of people have proved that man is not civilized at all. Man is evil by nature and this fact applies to all human beings. Tragedy also presents evil as absolute. At the end of every charge of the evil forces prove successful. For example in "Othello", Lago succeeds in destroying Othello.
This absolute concept of evil cannot be accepted. All men are not evil and evil does not succeed always. If some men had created concentration camps there were others who sacrifice their lives to end those camps. In fact, all the evil created by man was opposed by other men. Therefore we cannot say that evil is everywhere and absolute.
Tragedy is not also about evil alone. The concept of evil varies from culture to culture and tragedy presents evil in its different forms. It is an action and like other actions, it can be changed. Also by nature men are not evil but the way they act in a particular situation. Their action can be called good or bad.
If the situation changes then they might act differently. Culturally, evil is the name of many kinds of disorders, which destroys actual life. It is found in variable forms such as vengeance, ambition, pride, coldness, jealousy, lust, disobedience, and rebellion. Raymond says that:
"Both good and evil or not absolute. We are good or evil in particular situations under some pressure and vice versa."
To conclude, it can be said that in his essay good Tragedy and Contemporary ideas, Raymond Williams first describes the contemporary and customary concept of tragedy and then uses all subtle arguments to reject it. His style is very interesting and persuasive. He first looks into the pros and cons of argument and then rejects them piece-by-piece. He takes up a very different position to the stand. He rejects ordinary contemporary meanings of tragedy. He is very minute and subtle in analyzing the contemporary concepts of tragedy.
BY SAMIA UMER
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