Abstract:

The earliest discussion of tragedy as a genre is found in Aristotle’s Poetics. Aristotle based his theory on induction from the tragedies of Greek playwrights such as Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides. Although different centuries have given rise to various types of tragedy and the definition of tragedy considerably changed especially after Arthur Miller’s Tragedy and the Common Man, Aristotle’s discussions –when flexibly managed— apply to many tragic plots. Accordingly, domestic tragedies in American Drama in the mid-twentieth century follow a pattern similar to that of Aristotle’s. Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman is one of the masterpieces of the particular period, which –for many— rejects some of the Aristotelian principles in Poetics. However, in terms of plot structure, character, and thought, the most important three of the six components of tragedy for Aristotle, Miller’s play conforms to the rules set for a tragic play.

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