King Lear and Donald Trump: Two Peas in a Pod

Department

Art

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-15-2020

Abstract

In his “Poetics,” Aristotle was likely to have been the first critic to have formally outlined the structure and guiding principles by which 5th century BC Greek dramatists had to abide.

Aristotle stated that drama, especially tragedies, should have one: 1) One Action (such as a plague, a mysterious murder, a war, or a national crisis). 2) A hero of great stature (a king, prince or a person of noble birth who possesses a tragic flaw such as pride, arrogance, ambition, short temper). 3) Events that must unravel and come to a resolution within the span of twenty-four hours. 4) A hero who, because of his human frailty (a tragic flaw) moves from good to bad. Ultimately, the hero’s tragic flaw, an infirmity often supplanted by the gods, visits calamity on the hero, his loved ones, and the nation.

Publication Title

CounterPunch

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