ZEITLIN'S FOUR ASPECTS OF TRAGEDY
In Playing the Other, Zeitlin refers to the plot as an “’interweaving,’ as that which describes the fabric or texture of the play” (356). A common plot found in tragic myths is the main characters coming across error that causes them to “fall.” The continuous upward and downward slopes that the characters face are the basis to plot. Zeitlin calls this “the metaphorical patterns of binding and unbinding” (356). The author then makes a connection between the plot and femininity by claiming that women are often the driving force behind the plot. In Zeitlin’s opinion, women can often be linked with deception, plotting, and manipulation. While they seem to be hidden behind the scenes, they possess a strong ability to control the male characters. The fact that women are often seen as the least likely to have any power over men makes it that much easier for women to get away with controlling the men’s fates.
MIMESIS
The fourth and concluding element of Zeitlin’s argument analyzes the significance of mimesis in a tragic production. Mimesis, which is translated to “imitation,” is an important pillar in the creation of a tragedy, as it defines the theater’s ability to represent reality. However, despite the symbolism of the honest authentic world, the means of obtaining this symbolism come through illusion and disguise- or the unreal. This being so, Zeitlin claims that the tragic theater acts as a “serious and wonderful paradox (361),” coupling the unrealistic elements of the production with their ability to send a message to the audience about reality. Furthermore, in relating mimesis to the thesis about the role of gender in tragedy, Zeitlin presents the idea that role play, or character imitation, belongs primarily in the female sphere. In the same way that the paradox created by the tragic theater offers insight to the truths of reality, the role of a woman in theatrical production holds a perceptive paradox on its own, as the conflict between a woman’s “internal self and external identity (363)” allow the woman far more understanding about the complexities and truths of reality in comparison to men. Therefore, as the final element of the argument about the role of gender in tragedy, Zeitlin explains that the imitation lying on the surface and the authenticity hiding below the illusion come together to create a paradox both essential to the tragic genre and unique to the role of women in the theater.
PLOT
THEATRICAL SPACE
BODY
INSERT BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ZEITLIN'S ARTICLE HERE, FEATURING FOUR SECTIONS, ONE EACH FOR THE BODY, THEATRICAL SPACE, PLOT, MIMESIS
INSERT DIAGRAMS OF EACH OF HER FOUR ARGUMENTS
In Playing the Other, Zeitlin refers to the plot as an “’interweaving,’ as that which describes the fabric or texture of the play” (356). A common plot found in tragic myths is the main characters coming across error that causes them to “fall.” The continuous upward and downward slopes that the characters face are the basis to plot. Zeitlin calls this “the metaphorical patterns of binding and unbinding” (356). The author then makes a connection between the plot and femininity by claiming that women are often the driving force behind the plot. In Zeitlin’s opinion, women can often be linked with deception, plotting, and manipulation. While they seem to be hidden behind the scenes, they possess a strong ability to control the male characters. The fact that women are often seen as the least likely to have any power over men makes it that much easier for women to get away with controlling the men’s fates.
MIMESIS
The fourth and concluding element of Zeitlin’s argument analyzes the significance of mimesis in a tragic production. Mimesis, which is translated to “imitation,” is an important pillar in the creation of a tragedy, as it defines the theater’s ability to represent reality. However, despite the symbolism of the honest authentic world, the means of obtaining this symbolism come through illusion and disguise- or the unreal. This being so, Zeitlin claims that the tragic theater acts as a “serious and wonderful paradox (361),” coupling the unrealistic elements of the production with their ability to send a message to the audience about reality. Furthermore, in relating mimesis to the thesis about the role of gender in tragedy, Zeitlin presents the idea that role play, or character imitation, belongs primarily in the female sphere. In the same way that the paradox created by the tragic theater offers insight to the truths of reality, the role of a woman in theatrical production holds a perceptive paradox on its own, as the conflict between a woman’s “internal self and external identity (363)” allow the woman far more understanding about the complexities and truths of reality in comparison to men. Therefore, as the final element of the argument about the role of gender in tragedy, Zeitlin explains that the imitation lying on the surface and the authenticity hiding below the illusion come together to create a paradox both essential to the tragic genre and unique to the role of women in the theater.
PLOT
THEATRICAL SPACE
BODY
INSERT BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ZEITLIN'S ARTICLE HERE, FEATURING FOUR SECTIONS, ONE EACH FOR THE BODY, THEATRICAL SPACE, PLOT, MIMESIS
INSERT DIAGRAMS OF EACH OF HER FOUR ARGUMENTS
