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The Chocolate War as tragedy?
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From: Jonathan Hunt <jhunt24>
Date: Sat, 04 Aug 2001 20:54:40
I've been rereading some of Arthur Miller's theater essays recently and came across some passages in his treatment of the nature of tragedy that I found relevant to THE CHOCOLATE WAR (and really to his entire body of work, I think).
"There is a misconception of tragedy with which I have been strick in review after review, and in many conversations with writers and readers alike. It is the idea that tragedy is of necessity allied to pessimism. Even the dictionary says nothing more about the word than that it means a story with a sad or unhappy ending. This impression is so firmly fixed that I almost hesitate to claim that in truth tragedy implies more optimism in its author than does comedy, and that its final result ought to be the reinforcement of the onlooker's brightest opinion of the human animal.
"For, if it is true to say that in essence the tragic hero is intent upon claiming his whole due as a personality, and if this struggle must be total and without reservation, then it automatically demonstrates the indestructible will of man to achieve his humanity."
Would you consider Jerry Renault a tragic hero? His unwillingness to sell the chocolates a tragic flaw? Does it explain a sense of hope that some interpret from the ending?
Jonathan
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Received on Sat 04 Aug 2001 08:54:40 PM CDT
Date: Sat, 04 Aug 2001 20:54:40
I've been rereading some of Arthur Miller's theater essays recently and came across some passages in his treatment of the nature of tragedy that I found relevant to THE CHOCOLATE WAR (and really to his entire body of work, I think).
"There is a misconception of tragedy with which I have been strick in review after review, and in many conversations with writers and readers alike. It is the idea that tragedy is of necessity allied to pessimism. Even the dictionary says nothing more about the word than that it means a story with a sad or unhappy ending. This impression is so firmly fixed that I almost hesitate to claim that in truth tragedy implies more optimism in its author than does comedy, and that its final result ought to be the reinforcement of the onlooker's brightest opinion of the human animal.
"For, if it is true to say that in essence the tragic hero is intent upon claiming his whole due as a personality, and if this struggle must be total and without reservation, then it automatically demonstrates the indestructible will of man to achieve his humanity."
Would you consider Jerry Renault a tragic hero? His unwillingness to sell the chocolates a tragic flaw? Does it explain a sense of hope that some interpret from the ending?
Jonathan
_________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp
Received on Sat 04 Aug 2001 08:54:40 PM CDT
