The Influence of Tragedy/Comedy on History Essay

The tragedy, meanwhile, debunks these myths by placing them in compromising situations such as moments of extreme crisis, violent conflict and emotional distress. In the process, the conventional values and social bonds in ancient Greece are challenged (Anderson 124).The eventual demise of Achilles shows that not even the most powerful individuals are spared from defeat, misfortune or mortality. The fictional quality of the History, on the other hand, symbolizes the conflict between the glorified image of warfare and the ugly truth behind it.

Although it is true that victory in battle brings wealth, power and honor, these do not conceal the fact that such a triumph is not attained without bloodshed.Another similarity between the History and the Greek tragedy is the fatalistic point of view. Both assume that the destiny of every individual is controlled by given circumstances, personalities and or institutions.

People, after all, only pity individuals who experienced unmerited misfortune (Shankman and Durrant 110).In addition, their fears are best aroused when they witness persons who underwent the same misfortunes as theirs. Thus, characters and or situations that can be pitied at and or feared for are the ones that audiences can relate with the most (Shankman and Durrant 110). Despite their mythical natures, Greek tragedy and the History will still appeal to audiences because of their highly emotional manner of presenting people and or circumstances. Who would not feel sorry or concerned for someone whose peaceful existence was shattered by a dreadful prophecy or a fatal illness that was assumed to be a punishment from a celestial power?The tragedy is one of the most popular forms of ancient Greek literature. This is mainly because it challenges the institutions, values and traditions that ancient Greek society considers important while appealing to the emotions of the audience.

As a result, historians such as Thucydides likewise integrated tragic elements in their works. Emotions, after all, do not need a high degree of logic just to be won over. Works CitedAnderson, Michael J. “Myth.” A Companion to Greek Tragedy. 3rd ed. Ed. Justina Gregory.

Thucydides and Internal War. New York, New York: CambridgeUniversity Press, 2001.Ptak, Roger. Sky Stories: Ancient and Modern. Commack, New York: Nova SciencePublishers, 1998.Shankman, Steven, and Stephen W. Durrant.

The Siren and the Sage: Knowledge andWisdom in Ancient Greece and China. New York, New York: Cassell, 2000.Warner, Rex, trans.