The Revised Theory of Tragedy
Compared to the original theory of tragedy by Aristotle, our contemporary theory of tragedy is a bit different. In the five essential criteria we took out the word "complex" and qualified that "the tragic ending must remain unpredictable throughout the plot". It is not the overall complexity of the story that remains most significant but the ability for the writer of the work to continually surprise his or her audience. The Lord of the Rings, essentially, has a basic plot: a hobbit must do what man has failed to do by going through great lengths in order to destroy the ring. Although that is basic, the audience would have predicted a happy ending that Frodo would easily drop the ring due to his innocence and then safely return to the Shire. However, the reality is that Frodo became so emotionally scarred that he has to leave the Shire for good.
We also took out "A tragedy possesses a certain magnitude (universal relevance or significance)" and added "A tragedy must be relatable to the audience" because it is not so much a timeless aspect but rather the ability for the audience to relate to the hero that applies. One of the reasons that the trilogy is so popular in box offices is that Frodo is able to speak to the basic fears and desires of the audience. Despite the fact that Frodo is a hobbit, his transition in character from one of innocence to one of corruption is a trait with which the population can identify. As children, we dream and anticipate setting off on a new adventure, but once we begin our adventure into adulthood, we often shed that innocence and instead have to deal with the consequences of the burden we carry.
We also removed catharsis because not only is this notion outdated, but also the fact that Frodo remains corrupted when left helpless to the power of the Ring does not encourage a purging of emotions. Frodo remains burdened for actions which are not his own fault and instead of finding healing and partaking in the peace that overcomes Middle-earth, he must depart from it as he can no longer identify with his friends and neighbors.
We did not agree that the hero had to be a king or a leader. Frodo was not a leader at all. He was an innocent hobbit, who knew absolutely nothing about the outside world, that sought adventure. Although he made the decisions since he was the ring bearer, he was never the leader of the fellowship. He was often following the guidance of Aragon, Gandalf, Gollum or Sam. Yet this trait makes Frodo's story even more tragic: an innocent person must bear a heavy burden in order to save a world that he hardly even knows.
Another component that no longer applied was that hero must be intelligent. Frodo was not intelligent at all. Due to his innocence, he was naive and was easily fooled by others. Yet he is still tragic because he realizes that he has changed for the worse and that he cannot do anything to change it. He does not learn from his mistakes either. He is fooled time and time again. If it were not for Sam or the fellowship, he probably would have died before even completing the mission.
Lastly, we disagreed that the tragic hero had to have a flawed life. Frodo's life was perfect prior to the ring. The Shire was a small village that knew nothing of the corruption in the outside world. Its inhabitants often partied and enjoyed in each others presence and were blissfully happy. It was not so much that something went wrong in Frodo's life, but rather his choice to leave such a perfect life. Frodo could have easily stayed in the Shire or have returned to the Shire after going to Rivendell, but he did not. He volunteered to take the ring to the mountain. It was that decision that provoked his tragedy.
We also took out "A tragedy possesses a certain magnitude (universal relevance or significance)" and added "A tragedy must be relatable to the audience" because it is not so much a timeless aspect but rather the ability for the audience to relate to the hero that applies. One of the reasons that the trilogy is so popular in box offices is that Frodo is able to speak to the basic fears and desires of the audience. Despite the fact that Frodo is a hobbit, his transition in character from one of innocence to one of corruption is a trait with which the population can identify. As children, we dream and anticipate setting off on a new adventure, but once we begin our adventure into adulthood, we often shed that innocence and instead have to deal with the consequences of the burden we carry.
We also removed catharsis because not only is this notion outdated, but also the fact that Frodo remains corrupted when left helpless to the power of the Ring does not encourage a purging of emotions. Frodo remains burdened for actions which are not his own fault and instead of finding healing and partaking in the peace that overcomes Middle-earth, he must depart from it as he can no longer identify with his friends and neighbors.
We did not agree that the hero had to be a king or a leader. Frodo was not a leader at all. He was an innocent hobbit, who knew absolutely nothing about the outside world, that sought adventure. Although he made the decisions since he was the ring bearer, he was never the leader of the fellowship. He was often following the guidance of Aragon, Gandalf, Gollum or Sam. Yet this trait makes Frodo's story even more tragic: an innocent person must bear a heavy burden in order to save a world that he hardly even knows.
Another component that no longer applied was that hero must be intelligent. Frodo was not intelligent at all. Due to his innocence, he was naive and was easily fooled by others. Yet he is still tragic because he realizes that he has changed for the worse and that he cannot do anything to change it. He does not learn from his mistakes either. He is fooled time and time again. If it were not for Sam or the fellowship, he probably would have died before even completing the mission.
Lastly, we disagreed that the tragic hero had to have a flawed life. Frodo's life was perfect prior to the ring. The Shire was a small village that knew nothing of the corruption in the outside world. Its inhabitants often partied and enjoyed in each others presence and were blissfully happy. It was not so much that something went wrong in Frodo's life, but rather his choice to leave such a perfect life. Frodo could have easily stayed in the Shire or have returned to the Shire after going to Rivendell, but he did not. He volunteered to take the ring to the mountain. It was that decision that provoked his tragedy.