Tragedy, Fear and Insight

By: Stephen Leighton

Abstract

One question to be asked about the relation between aesthetics and morality is how insight in one domain can prove illuminating of the other. The present study considers tragedy, whether and how Aristotle’s understanding allows fears roused in spectators to bring insight not just into an ongoing tragedy, but to more ordinary affairs as well. The argument first examines Aristotle’s understanding of fear, its functions, and the roles it takes in our lives (sections I & II). Fear can provide insight, explained in these terms, the insight (roughly put) of appropriate emotion. Moreover, any insights gained in these ways in response to tragedy extends beyond the theatres doors. The possible functions of catharsis is then examined (section III). On some understandings of catharsis’ function, fear’s catharsis can provide insight, again insight that can extend beyond tragedy into more practical domains. Yet, so far, any insight available offered is that provided by of appropriate emotion only. If so, the argument shows that and how the insights gained through a spectator’s fear in response to tragedy can be beneficial elsewhere, but it does not establish that the insights gained are particularly or peculiarly illuminating. The gains provided by fear in response to tragedy prove no more or less helpful than similar gains elsewhere. It is only when one reflects on the restricted objects and scope of what fear responds to in tragedy (e.g. centred on happiness and unhappiness, concerning a whole and complete action… ….) versus its more unfettered and rambling realisations in ordinary life, that one can see that and why fear roused in response to tragedy not only proves illuminating there and beyond, but also that the insight to be gained via tragedy can be particularly or peculiarly illuminating, and of particular helpful to leading our more mundane lives. The final section of the paper argues that this is so and explains why (section IV).

Introduction

Do the insights that tragedy seems capable of providing illuminate our lives? If so, in what sense(s), and how is this to be explained? The present study takes up one aspect of these questions, seen from the perspective of Aristotle’s theorising: it considers whether and how fear roused in spectators by tragedy can bring insight there and beyond.

Our starting point is Aristotle’s understanding of fear.

[i] For a more detailed account of how Aristotle account of fear can explain activity, see my “Aristotle’s Understanding of Fear’s Expression.” Mss.).