Abstract
Drawing on the work of Max Weber, Edward Shils, Charles Camic and Thomas Spence Smith, among others, this article analyzes the effect of the breakdown of charismatic groups on tragic protagonists. Because criticism has usually focused on the isolation of tragic figures, little attention has been paid to group formation and group dissolution as significant components of tragedy. Yet group function makes a manifest contribution to tragic denouement: the vicissitudes of charismatic authority not only reflect but often bring about the catastrophes in tragic drama. The article demonstrates this thesis in a concluding discussion of Shakespeare's Othello.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have