The Philosophy of Tragedy

This book is an exhaustive survey of the philosophy of tragedy from antiquity to the present. From Aristotle to i ek the focal question has been: why, in spite of its distressing content, do we value tragic drama? What is the nature of the tragic effect ? Some philosophers point to a certain kind of pleasure that results from tragedy. Others, while not excluding pleasure, emphasize the knowledge we gain from tragedy of psychology, ethics, freedom, or immortality. Through a critical engagement with these and other philosophers, the book concludes by suggesting an answer to the question of what it is that constitutes tragedy in its highest vocation ? This book will be of equal interest to students of philosophy and of literature.