Tragic views of the human condition : cross-cultural comparisons between views of human nature in Greek and Shakespearean tragedy and the Mahābhārata and Bhagavadgītā

586 Pages·2013·2.423 MB·English

by  Minnema, Lourens, Shakespeare, William

“The Kurukshetra Battle” from The Mahabharata. © The British Library
Board: Or. 13180. Used with kind permission from the British Library.
Tragic Views
of the Human
Condition
ii
Tragic Views
of the Human
Condition
Cross-cultural comparisons between
views of human nature in Greek
and Shakespearean tragedy and
- - - -
the Mahabharata and Bhagavadg ta
Lourens MinneMa
NEW YORK • LONDON • NEW DELHI • SYDNEY
Bloomsbury Academic
An imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
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New York London
NY 10010 WC1B 3DP
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www.bloomsbury.com
First published 2013
© Lourens Minnema, 2013
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,
recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without prior
permission in writing from the publishers.
No responsibility for loss caused to any individual or organization acting on or
refraining from action as a result of the material in this publication can be
accepted by Bloomsbury Academic or the author.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Minnema, Lourens, 1960–
Tragic views of the human condition: cross-cultural comparisons
between views of human nature in Greek and Shakespearean tragedy
and the Mahabharata and Bhagavadgita/Lourens Minnema.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references (pages ) and index.
ISBN 978-1-4411-9424-4 (hardcover: alk. paper)
1. Tragedy–History and criticism. 2. Tragic, The. I. Title.
PN1892.M56 2013
808.2’512–dc23
2012042522
ISBN HB: 978-1-4411-9424-4
ePub: 978-1-4411-0069-6
ePDF: 978-1-4411-5104-9
Typeset by Deanta Global Publishing Services, Chennai, India
v
For Thierno Ibrahima Bah
Chaque homme porte en lui un monde composé
de tout ce qu’il a vu et aimé
et où il rentre sans cesse alors même qu’il parcourt et semble habiter
un monde étranger.
Chateaubriand, Voyage en Italie, Lettre troisième à M. Joubert
Tivoli, 11 décembre 1803
Contents
Acknowledgements xii
1 Introduction 1
1 Scope and key questions 1
2 Aspects of tragedy and embedded anthropological issues 2
3 Definition and cross-cultural applicability of the notion
of the ‘tragic’ 5
4 The scholarly art of comparing cross-culturally 8
5 Main purpose of the comparative enterprise 10
2 Narrative aspects 11
Part I: Greek and Shakespearean issues 11
1 Introduction 11
2 Three tragic stories in particular 12
3 Specific plot patterns 15
4 A specific world view 25
5 Irony 29
6 Specific subjects 32
7 Conclusions 34
Part II: Indian and Hindu issues 36
1 Summary of the plot(s) of the Mah¯abh¯arata and Bhagavadg¯It¯a 36
2 The Mah¯abh¯arata’s specific plot pattern 39
3 Mah¯abh¯arata’s specific world view 43
4 The Bhagavadg¯It¯a’s plot pattern and world view 53
5 Conclusions 61
Part III: Cross-cultural comparisons 62
1 Introduction 62
2 Specific subjects 62
3 Specific plot patterns 64
4 A specific world view and the role of irony 69
viii Contents
3 Artistic–communicative aspects 75
Part I: Greek and Shakespearean issues 75
1 Introduction 75
2 A specific literary genre 75
3 Specific dialogues 79
4 A specific audience response 85
5 Conclusions 91
Part II: Indian and Hindu issues 93
1 Introduction 93
2 The Mah¯abh¯arata’s specific literary genre 93
3 The G¯It¯a’s specific dialogue 101
4 The G¯It¯a’s specific audience response 108
5 Conclusions 113
Part III: Cross-cultural comparisons 114
1 Introduction 114
2 Specific literary genres 114
3 Tragic mood and audience response 117
4 Specific dialogues 121
4 Socio-political aspects 127
Part I: Tragic and dramatic issues 127
1 Introduction 127
2 G. F. W. Hegel’s theory of tragedy 128
3 The state and the theatre as institutional sources of
legitimation and conflict 130
4 Religion as an institutional source of legitimation and conflict 136
5 The family as an institutional source of legitimation
and conflict 137
6 Social status defining the tragic genre 141
7 Conclusions 144
Part II: Indian and Hindu issues 146
1 Introduction 146
2 The state and the family as institutional sources of
conflict and legitimation 147
3 Religion as an institutional source of legitimation and conflict 150
4 Conclusions 152