Paper #1 assignment: Water or Oil?

English 3213

Paper #1: Water or Oil?

INTRO: In Chapter 2 of Tragedy: A Very Short Introduction, Adrian Poole writes,“A great deal of ink has been spilt on the question of what Aristotle meant by [katharsis], let alone of whether he is right. Where exactly is this katharsis supposed to take place? In the head, the spirit, the soul, or the guts? Should we translate it as ‘purification’ or ‘purgation’? Is it, to adapt one recent critic, a matter of holy water or castor oil?” (Poole 18). In other words, what IS the purpose of tragedy: to make us physically and morally sick, and turn with disgust from the events unfolding before us? OR is it to transform terror into a sense of emotional release and understanding (and thus, a kind of joy)? Is the role of Tragedy to spiritually transform us or to make us feel like we’re implicated in the murder?

PROMPT: Discuss a moment in Hamlet that makes us feel an experience of katharsis, which is a moment of “purification or purgation” that comes from witnessing a dramatic/tragic experience unfold before you. How does Shakespeare stage this moment, and how do you think we’re supposed to read/experience/digest this experience? Is it supposed to explain the “why” behind a terrible “what” in life? Is it attempting to transform something terrible into something beautiful or at least understandable? Or could it be making something mundane or even seemingly enjoyable into a cruel and horrifying experience? If this moment is supposed to change us as an audience, how are we changed? Why does this moment stay with us?

REQUIREMENTS: Choose only ONE passage in the play (no more than 1-3 pages), and be sure to CLOSE READ the passage. Don’t just summarize what happens, but examine how the language and the characters MAKE it happen. You might also explain how this scene relates to the drama of Hamlet as a whole, since it might occur early, in the middle, or even very late in the play.

You must use Poole’s Tragedy in your discussion, and should quote it for support and/or to help you see/discuss certain aspects of your scene. Don’t just summarize it—actually quote a passage or passages that bring out the meaning of this scene.

DUE IN-CLASS ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23^rd! Please don’t skip class and turn it in later, since it will be late. The goal of this short assignment is to discuss the different ways we read and are affected by the play, and to discuss how Shakespeare wrote for many  different audiences (who naturally have different responses to tragedy).