The Problem Of Tragedy In Contemporary British Marxist Theory Of Literature And Art

The problem of tragedy is an important part of contemporary British Marxist Theory of literature and art.This issue is mainly composed of the related research on tragedy by Raymond Williams and Terry Eagleton that are the famous contemporary British Marxist literary theorists.They both have different views from the traditional ideas in the discussion of modern tragedy.By combing Williams' and Eagleton's tragic views,this paper examines the tragic problems in contemporary British Marxist Theory of literature and art,which helps to clarify the trend of contemporary British Marxist Theory of tragedy.It is helpful to point out the practical significance of contemporary British Marxist Theory of tragedy through the systematic study of Williams' and Eagleton's tragedy theory.The whole paper consists of four parts: “the concept of tragedy” “the discussion of the death of tragedy” “tragedy and modernity” “tragedy and revolution”.Firstly,in the part of "the concept of tragedy",this paper sorts out the definition of tragedy by Williams and Eagleton.They hold that tragedy should be understood from multi-dimensional perspective and tragedy is daily,literary and even philosophical(aesthetic).The expanded concept of tragedy is the inheritance and development of traditional Marxist tragedy concept.Secondly,in the part of "the death of tragedy",this paper takes Williams and Eagleton's criticism of Steiner's "the death of tragedy" as the center and points out that tragedy has not died out in modern times,but the emergence of modern tragedy has innovated traditional tragedy.The reason why Williams and Eagleton repeatedly keep mentioning tragedy is mainly because of the political connotation and liberation potential in modern tragedy.They who are at different time points returned to the Marxist ideal to discuss the various problems behind the "death of tragedy" because of the close relationship between tragedy and hope.Thirdly,in the part of "tragedy and modernity",this paper focuses on the analysis of the relationship between modern tragedy and tragic experience of modernity,emphasize the experience of ordinary people in modern experience,and pays attention to individual perception in modern groups.Finally,in the part of "tragedy and revolution",this paper shows the political thoughts and revolutionary imagination of Williams and Eagleton by analyzing the relationship between tragedy and revolution,martyrs and death.Revolutionization of tragedy and tragedy of revolution are the important fulcrum of contemporary British Marxist tragedy theory.From Williams and Eagleton's discourse on the relationship between tragedy and revolution,we can see the political characteristics of tragedy in contemporary British Marxist theory of literature and art.