Jerash for Research and Studies Journal مجلة جرش للبحوث والدراسات
Abstract
This research work aims at emphasizing the peculiar nature of modern tragedy and the necessity of assessing this tragedy through its own terms, for it is inaccurate to interpret this drama in terms of a different dramatic tradition. This issue has led actually some crit- ics to deal with the plays as comedies or tragi-comedies, including Chekhov’s plays. The work provides a comprehensive critical survey of the development of the idea of tragedy, trying to spotlight the main theoretical notions and the relevant supporting arguments. the classi- cal, the renaissance, the pre-modern and modern. The different critical opinions produced on the nature and function of tragedy leads to a synoptic display of the notions, with citations about the main points to iiluminate the purpose of the study. The debate is that modern plays, among them the works of Chekhov, can be considered through an amalgamation of the comic and tragic elements, in addition to other artistic features. The sources of this incongruity are various: inade- quacy or delusion, foolishness or bureaucracy, failure or dejection, the inability or insignificance of the individual in a changing society, : the naturalistic forces beyond human control, and paralysis of human will or anti-heroism. The special artistic mode Chekhov followed in his plays in approximating and interpreting reality produces an open and ambiguous ending .Besides, Chekhov held a non-sentimental ob- jective view of reality and his synthesis of the comic and tragic is an ‘illustration of his artistic assessment. Technically speaking, the work offers a series of themes, ideas, and observations made through a criti-cal discussion of the issue of modern tragedy. Examining the modem conception of tragedy necessitates citations from the different critical writings produced over a long period of time, without which the dis- cussion of such a wide and complicated issue would remain incom- plete
Recommended Citation
Abdul Muttaleb, Fuad
(2015)
"A Note on the Issue of Modern Tragedy: Chekhov’ Plays Perspective,"
Jerash for Research and Studies Journal مجلة جرش للبحوث والدراسات: Vol. 16:
Iss.
2, Article 8.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.aaru.edu.jo/jpu/vol16/iss2/8