Add Quote by A. C. Bradley
“Such exceptional suffering and calamity, then, affecting the hero, and-we must now add-generally extending far and wide beyond him, so as to make the whole scene a scene of woe, are an essential ingredient in tragedy and a chief source of the tragic emotions, and especially of pity. But the proportions of this ingredient, and the direction taken by tragic pity, will naturally vary greatly.”
About This Quote
Tragedy relies on widespread suffering beyond the protagonist to evoke pity, with the scope and focus of that pity differing across works.
In simple terms: Pity arises from collective calamity.
Key Takeaway
Scope of suffering shapes tragic emotion.
Themes
pity
suffering
tragedy
emotional scope
dramatic structure
Mood
melancholic
reflective
somber
Type
philosophical
literary criticism
theoretical
When to use this quote
- theatrical productions
- literary analysis
- creative writing workshops
- film criticism
Key Concepts
tragic emotion
heroic downfall
audience response
narrative breadth
Practical Applications
- designing emotionally resonant stories
- teaching tragedy theory
Questions to Reflect On
- How does expanding suffering affect audience empathy?
- When does pity become excessive?
