Renunciation as a Tragic Focus - A Study of Five Plays (Paperback, Minnesota Archi)


Renunciation as a Tragic Focus was first published in 1954. Minnesota Archive Editions uses digital technology to make long-unavailable books once again accessible, and are published unaltered from the original University of Minnesota Press editions. Norman J. DeWitt explains, in an introduction to this volume, that these essays are written in terms of a personal humanism. "Personal humanism," Mr. DeWitt says, "comes from an awareness of a world in which pain is real, and it leads to the traditional virtues of wisdom and justice, terms that are seldom heard in academic circles today." Traditionalist though he may be in the basic virtues, Professor Falk, in these studies, challenges a traditional concept. By analyzing the conflicting values in five plays, he demonstrates why the traditional definition of tragedy should be broadened. He shows that martyrdom and self-sacrifice, when they involve an act of renunciation, should be included in the realm of tragedy. The older concept ruled out these elements by its insistence that the death of a martyr is not the defeat but the victory of an individual. The five plays studied here are Sophocles' Oedipus the King and Antigone,Corneille's Polyeucte,Maeterlinck's Aglavaine and Selysette,and Samain's Polypheme.In all of them, the tragic experience of man's defeat in an unequal struggle against destiny is examined in the light of the conflict between his worldly and his spiritual aspirations. The plays illustrate the tenet that renunciation becomes a tragic experience only if the character's devotion to both worldly and spiritual values is genuine. In succession, the five plays represent a progression from authentic to seeming renunciation. The studies are pertinent to many interests in the broad academic field of the humanities as well as to such specific disciplines as comparative literature, drama, French literature, and the classics.

R1,192

Or split into 4x interest-free payments of 25% on orders over R50
Learn more

Discovery Miles11920
Mobicred@R112pm x 12* Mobicred Info
Free Delivery
Delivery AdviceShips in 10 - 15 working days


Toggle WishListAdd to wish list
Review this Item

Product Description

Renunciation as a Tragic Focus was first published in 1954. Minnesota Archive Editions uses digital technology to make long-unavailable books once again accessible, and are published unaltered from the original University of Minnesota Press editions. Norman J. DeWitt explains, in an introduction to this volume, that these essays are written in terms of a personal humanism. "Personal humanism," Mr. DeWitt says, "comes from an awareness of a world in which pain is real, and it leads to the traditional virtues of wisdom and justice, terms that are seldom heard in academic circles today." Traditionalist though he may be in the basic virtues, Professor Falk, in these studies, challenges a traditional concept. By analyzing the conflicting values in five plays, he demonstrates why the traditional definition of tragedy should be broadened. He shows that martyrdom and self-sacrifice, when they involve an act of renunciation, should be included in the realm of tragedy. The older concept ruled out these elements by its insistence that the death of a martyr is not the defeat but the victory of an individual. The five plays studied here are Sophocles' Oedipus the King and Antigone,Corneille's Polyeucte,Maeterlinck's Aglavaine and Selysette,and Samain's Polypheme.In all of them, the tragic experience of man's defeat in an unequal struggle against destiny is examined in the light of the conflict between his worldly and his spiritual aspirations. The plays illustrate the tenet that renunciation becomes a tragic experience only if the character's devotion to both worldly and spiritual values is genuine. In succession, the five plays represent a progression from authentic to seeming renunciation. The studies are pertinent to many interests in the broad academic field of the humanities as well as to such specific disciplines as comparative literature, drama, French literature, and the classics.

Customer Reviews

No reviews or ratings yet - be the first to create one!

Product Details

General

Imprint

University of Minnesota Press

Country of origin

United States

Release date

September 1954

Availability

Expected to ship within 10 - 15 working days

First published

September 1954

Authors

Dimensions

216 x 133 x 8mm (L x W x T)

Format

Paperback

Pages

115

Edition

Minnesota Archi

ISBN-13

978-0-8166-6000-1

Barcode

9780816660001

Categories

LSN

0-8166-6000-X



Trending On Loot