An abstract of the thesis of barbara scot for the master of arts in history presented july, 1975. Other chapters examine the classic spirit of his second poetic drama, sappho, which is characterized as halfway between a tragedy of fate and a tragedy of character. Hegel and the concept of religion in greek tragedy. A theory of tragedy would be genrespecific, a theory about tragedies, the works. Whereas platos opposing sides were people socrates and his. The recurring theme is the tragic nature of the struggles for recognition. Kierkegaard versus hegel on greek tragedy, modern 145 m tragedy, 147 mrewriting antigone, 148 mcriticism, 150 9 schopenhauer 152. Hegel s phenomenology of spirit 1807 contains chapters on the ancient greek religion of art kunstreligion and on the worldview presented in sophocles antigone and oedipus the king. Friedrich hegel and the theory of tragedy by emily hills on prezi. His later lectures formulate such a theory of tragedy as a conflict of. His philosophy of art proper, however, forms part of his philosophy rather than phenomenology of spirit.
The greek festival dionysia performed plays to honor the greek god dionysus. Tragedy plays a central role in hegel s early writings on theology and politics. View academics in hegel, german idealism, greek tragedy on academia. Academics in hegel, german idealism, greek tragedy. The phenomenology can be regarded as the introduction to hegel. Hansjakob wilhelm the present study is dedicated to the different interpretations of greek tragedy proposed in the writing of g. Hegels aesthetics, or philosophy of art, forms part of the extraordinarily rich german aesthetic tradition that stretches from j.
Schelling, hegel, and oedipus chapter in publications of the modern language association of america 1294. In hegels view the essence of tragedy is conflict, not a moral conflict between right and wrong, but a conflict. Greek drama took a prominent place in greek culture in 550 bce in athens, greece. The greek tragedies are an important part of this body of literature. First published by doubleday in 1962, hegel on tragedy is once again available. Hegel, ethics, agency, tragedy in recent years much attention has been devoted to hegels interpretation of greek tragedy. On the face of it, the phenomenology says hardly anything about tragedy. Friedrich hegel and his theory of tragedy but what does this have to do with hamlet. Tragedy in hegels early theological writings by peter wake. This unique collection of passages drawn from hegel s major works contains a wealth of material on modern and ancient drama, tragedy in particular, and touches on modern social drama and comedy as well.
Hegels pragmatics of tragedy 155 clear i that hegel is advancing a reading of sophocles play, or ii that antigone qua charactercan be slotted straightforwardly into any of the shifting categories on display in the section of chapter vi spirit on ancient sittlichkeit, or fi nally iii how our. Hegels own fascination with classical greece and his preoccupation with the form, content, and statement of greek tragedy. This article contextualises hegels writings on international order, especially those concerning war and imperialism. The book offers a new interpretation of the theories of schiller, schelling, hegel, holderlin, and others, as mediations between these historicizing and universalizing impulses, and shows the roots of their approaches in earlier discussions of greek tragedy in germany, france, and england.
This chapter examines hegels concept of tragedy from his early theological writings, through the phenomenology of spirit to his lectures on aesthetics. From aeschylus works i chose prometheus bound and the trilogy of the orestia to illustrate the seeds of. Hegel himself, however, in his seminal the phenomenology of spirit argues for a more complicated theory of tragedy, with two complementary branches which, though driven by a single dialectical principle, differentiate greek tragedy from that which follows shakespeare. Pdf greek tragedies 1 download full pdf book download. Friedrich hegel and the theory of tragedy by emily hills. However, tragedy is very much present in the discussion of ethical world and ethical action in the spirit section of the phenomenology which contains two brief references to sophocles antigone. This article compares and contrasts how the texts of greek tragedy thematize ending and how german idealism, especially hegel and schelling, constructed a theory of ending in relation to greek tragedy.
Both the metaphysics presented in wagners depiction. Hegels overarching aim in these texts is to determine the kind of mythology that would best complement religious and political freedom in modernity. The name of greece strikes home to the hearts of men of education in europe, and more particularly is this so with us germans. Tragedy in hegels early theological writings by peter. George wilhelm friedrich hegel, the immensely influential german philosopher, in his aesthetics 182029, proposed that the sufferings of the tragic hero are merely a means of reconciling opposing moral claims. Sophocles antigone, tragedy, aristotle, hegel, negative dialectic, ethical. Conflict and reconciliation in hegels theory of the tragic. The aesthetics, which was compiled and edited by hegels student heinrich. The first cultural psychologist 2007 from vimeo andy blunden. This article contextualises hegel s writings on international order, especially those concerning war and imperialism. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. Hegels dialectics refers to the particular dialectical method of argument employed by the 19th century german philosopher, g. Hegels dialectics stanford encyclopedia of philosophy. Hegelstheoryoftragedy bvsalvatorerusso hegelstheoryoftragedy,likethatofaristotle,isanintegral partofhiswholephilosophy.
Hegel s overarching aim in these texts is to determine the kind of mythology that would best complement religious and political freedom in modernity. Greek tragedy always involves the motif of fate, the ultimate human circumstance and condition when confronting the unknown, infinite power. The philosophy of tragedy from plato to z i z ek this book is a comprehensive survey of the philosophy of tragedy from antiquity to the present. This chapter examines hegel s concept of tragedy from his early theological writings, through the phenomenology of spirit to his lectures on aesthetics. Tragedy plays a central role in hegels early writings on theology and politics. Despite hegels infamous contention that art is a thing of the past, a way station on the road to absolute idealism, in this book martin thibodeau attempts to show how hegels reflections on greek tragedy not only develop in tandem with his philosophical system, but also contribute to its development. Hegel on the ethics of antigone university of chicago. A concern with greek tragedy saturates hegels thought from its youthful inception to its grand culminations. Both the metaphysics presented in wagners depictions of the worlds of night and day and the decentrification of.
Hegel s own fascination with classical greece and his preoccupation with the form, content, and statement of greek tragedy. Lessings laocoon 1766 through immanuel kants critique of the power of judgment 1790 and friedrich schillers letters on the aesthetic. May 01, 2001 first published by doubleday in 1962, hegel on tragedy is once again available. Through the eighteenth century, tragedy had been considered primarily in rhetorical terms as a way of producing a.
Read greek tragedies 1 online, read in mobile or kindle. Why, in spite of its distressing content, do we value tragic drama. Hegels theory of tragedy in hegels theory the tragic hero acts. Hegels interpretation of antigone george mason university. It explicates how and in what sense hegels investigation in tragedy. This concept of exposing societys flaws and allowing the audience to learn from them is evident in contemporary theater. It sets out to investigate two central interlinked questions which have been underappreciated in the continuing response to hegel. Works by georg wilhelm friedrich hegel at librivox public domain audiobooks video. Winckelmanns thoughts on the imitation of the painting and sculpture of the greeks 1755 and g. This unique collection of passages drawn from hegels major works contains a wealth of material on modern and ancient drama, tragedy in particular, and touches on modern social drama and comedy as well. In turn, members of society internalized both the positive and negative messages, and incorporated them into their daily lives. Bradley also adapted hegels dualist metaphysics, arguing that shakespeareantragedy.
In this book, peter ahrensdorf examines sophocles powerful analysis of a central question of political philosophy and a perennial question of political life. A theory of tragic experience according to hegel wiley online. Tragedy and philosophy around 1800 princeton university. Hegel and the concept of religion in greek tragedy pdxscholar. As hayden white has pointed out, tragedy provides a. Hegels phenomenology of spirit 1807 contains chapters on the ancient greek religion of art kunstreligion and on the worldview presented in sophocles antigone and oedipus the king. Greek tragedy always involves the motif of fate, the ultimate human circumstance and condition when confronting the. In hegel s view the essence of tragedy is conflict, not a moral conflict between right and wrong, but a conflict. The nuclear greek tragedy for hegel is, understandably, sophocles antigone, with its conflict between the valid claims of conscience antigones obligation to give her brother a suitable burial and law king creons edict that enemies of the state should not be allowed burial.
Martin thibodeaus book ably traces the significance of tragedy for any understanding of hegel. What daniel breazeale dubbed the hegel nietzsche problem discerns surprising commonalitieson greek tragedy and culture, masterslave, death of god. It suggests that this christianized structure of argument has been largely ignored in. Religion hegel touches on tragedy, especially in the greek world and in. Cambridge core classical studies general greek tragedy and political philosophy by peter j. The name of greece strikes home to the hearts of men of education in. Hegels aesthetics stanford encyclopedia of philosophy. But hegel also places tragedy and the greeks near at least the center of his philosophy. Through the action of the tragic hero the main institutions of ethical life, the family and the state, come into conflict. According to hegel s account of greek tragedy, the conflict is. It suggests that this christianized structure of argument has been largely ignored in contemporary readings of hegel on greek tragedy. Tragedy is most prominent in hegels lectures on aesthetics, which is one of his most accessible texts. Hegels contribution to aesthetics, however, is less widely acknowledged and appreciated.
Hegel see entry on hegel, which, like other dialectical methods, relies on a contradictory process between opposing sides. Hegel addresses tragedy in the phenomenology of spirit and in the aesthetics. Hegel stheoryoftragedy bvsalvatorerusso hegel stheoryoftragedy,likethatofaristotle,isanintegral partofhiswholephilosophy. Within the title hegel and the greeks it is the whole of philosophy within its history that speaks, and that today in a times in which the collapse of philosophy becomes flagrant. Hegel was critical of a tradition in german thought that included kant which regarded greek sculpture as an unsurpassable model on hegels analysis this art was a failure despite its beauty faced with this failure artists, on hegels analysis, turned toward work that aim at. Misadventured piteous overthrows chance, tragic spirit, and romeo and juliet it is of the highest importance, hegel informs us, to ascertain and understand rightly the nature of dialectic.
Quietly, yet relentlessly the themes, structures, and movements of this art form informs and shapes the heart of the hegelian system. Hegel draws our attention to the fact that that antigone and creons interests are intertwined in. As the great period of athenian drama drew to an end at the beginning of the 4th century bce, athenian philosophers began to analyze its content and formulate its structure. Ahrensdorf skip to main content accessibility help we use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Sep 24, 2012 hegel addresses tragedy in the phenomenology of spirit and in the aesthetics on the face of it, the phenomenology says hardly anything about tragedy. In section a of chapter six of the phenomenology, hegel discusses.
Tragedy and the tragic let us begin with a preliminary delineation and defense of the concept of the tragic. Religion hegel touches on tragedy, especially in the greek world and in relation to reconciliation. Wake claims that, for hegel at this early stage, ancient greek tragedy provided the model for such a mythology. Some will be familiar with hegels theory of tragedy and his supposed doctrine of the end of art, but many philosophers and writers on art pay little or no attention to his lectures on aesthetics. Download greek tragedies 1 ebook free in pdf and epub format. The two claims represent what hegel regards as essentially. A concern with greek tragedy saturates hegel s thought from its youthful inception to its grand culminations. Hegels pragmatics of tragedy 155 clear i that hegel is advancing a reading of sophocles play, or ii that antigone qua charactercan be slotted straightforwardly into any of.
August 27, 1770 november 14, 1831 was a german philosopher and an important. Let us begin with a preliminary delineation and defense of the concept of the tragic. In particular, through hegels and schellings paradigmatic readings of oedipus, the article demonstrates a deepseated commitment to a. Greek selfconsciousness takes the form of literary works. Hegel does not have a theory of tragedy, he has a theory of the tragic. In section a of chapter six of the phenomenology, hegel discusses his favorite greek tragedy, antigone, in some detail. Despite hegels infamous contention that art is a thing of the past, a way station on the road to absolute idealism, in this book martin thibodeau attempts to show how hegels reflections on greek tragedy not only develop in tandem with his philosophical. The philosophy of tragedy from plato to z i z ek this book is a comprehensive survey of the philosophy of tragedy. According to hegels lectures on aesthetics, classical greek tragedy typically revolves around a conflict between diverse ethical spheres which complement. Dionysus was the god of grapes, wine, and wine making. Religion hegel touches on tragedy, especially in the greek world.
From plato to z i z ek the focal question has been. This further task is made at once necessary and more difficult by the fact that greek tragedy stands at the center of hegels speculative philosophy of art, and for. Hegels theory of tragedy, like thatof aristotle, is an integral part of his whole philosophy. Greek drama reflected the flaws and values of greek society. For hegel therefore, tragedy is itself a form of religious consciousness.
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