Re: First and final word.

["Peter T. Chattaway" <petert at interchange_ubc.ca>]

On Wed, 12 Sep 2001, rhys daily wrote:
> On Wed, 12 Sep 2001, Peter T. Chattaway wrote:

> > Seriously, it bugs me how often the word "tragic" gets thrown around
> > in situations like this.  I'm not convinced it's anything of the kind.
> > Unless you postulate America as the hero whose tragic flaw brings
> > about his own demise.  But I don't think that's what anyone means.
>
> trag·ic (trjk)
> adj.
> 1.Relating to or characteristic of dramatic tragedy or tragedies: tragic
> plays; the tragic hero.

And what is the definition of the "characteristics" of a dramatic tragedy?
See Aristotle's _Poetics_.

> 3. Having the elements of tragedy; involving death, grief, or
> destruction: a tragic accident.

This is the looser, generalized, dumbed-down definition of the word, yes.

--- Peter T. Chattaway --------------------------- peter at chattaway_com ---
 "I detected one misprint, but to torture you I will not tell you where."
      Winston Churchill to T.E. Lawrence, re Seven Pillars of Wisdom

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Follow-Ups:

• Re: First and final word.
• From: rhys daily <shadow at teuton_org>
• tragedy (was Re: First and final word.)
• From: "J. Marie Hall" <fionaeval at yahoo_com>

References:

• Re: First and final word.
• From: rhys daily <shadow at teuton_org>

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