One day later, I am still bewildered by the play Electra.
I’m currently taking my first theatre class and so I naturally began to
notice different aspects of the drama (though I’m no expert). While the play as a whole was done well, the
ending left me saying “What?!” to myself.
The final line was a comedic punch line.
Can we not handle grief? If
something is sad, let it be sad. I was
all the more befuddled by the Greek dance that came out of nowhere. The play was entirely commendable, but
certainly had me confused because of the ending.
Now, I’m not supposed to give a huge theatre summary. Changing the subject, I was also intrigued by
a discrepancy in the text we read and the play.
As shown in the play, Electra weeps over the death of her mother. In the text, I don’t remember that
happening. This is important because it
helps decide if Electra is a Greek tragedy according to Aristotle’s
rubric. I would argue that, at least
based on the text, it is not a tragedy because, while the play if full of death
and betrayal, Electra does achieve her ultimate objective of revenge and no
downfall seems to come. If, as in the
play, she does lament the death of her mother, then the play is a tragedy
be
Finally, to end on pathos, Electra’s emotional appeals don’t
seem to change much. While she does
oscillate between persuading and mourning, her theatric “beat” doesn’t
change. She uses the same tactics over
and over. I think that it was supposed
to be that way in Greek theatre. Electra
embodies the emotional, while other characters embody logos, ethos, or all
three combined.
Wait, what?! She doesn't cry in the text! Okay, this shows that I didn't read the text before the play (I didn't want to spoil the ending...) but that is CRAZY! Totally changes the entire message of the play! Thanks for bringing that up!
ReplyDeleteYeah Nathan I had the same thought at the ending seeing her cry over her mother. I brought my fiancee and mentioned to her its inclusion, and she was super confused. While Electra obviously possesses the tragic flaw of obsessive revenge, we see no downfall in Sophocles' version we read for class.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you 100 percent! I think that the entire play (with its contemporary additions) was confusing. One thing regarding whether or not it is a tragedy though, one requirement is that pity and fear must be instilled in the audience. As one in the audience, I felt neither pity or fear for Electra's situation. In my eyes this is what she desired and she got it. No pity deserved.
ReplyDeleteAt least in the radio recording, Electra seemed to me to embody all three branches of rhetoric. She mentions her position as a daughter of Agamemnon, the King, appeals to man's sense of pity (very often), and also uses strong logic to refute her own mother's reasoning for killing her father. But this also has a lot to do with the actor's delivery.
ReplyDelete