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Leitmotifs Imagery

Leitmotifs as an element or a feature appear throughout a literally work (Scragg, 116).

The recurring features might either be words, images and actions. It is recurring whereby it

denotes a place or a character. It is used for its connotations emotionally. One identifies a

leitmotif due to its distinctiveness. A person is supposed to recognize it when it appears next

since it will appear recurrently throughout the work. It is supposed to be short and consistent.

One will identify a leitmotif by being short although it might be representing something larger.

By being consistent, it does not mean that the presentation will be the same throughout the literal

work. The first words or the first few words are the ones that make it identifiable since though it

might be short others might be longer. In many works of literature, which include plays, films,

and romantic music there is heavy usage of leitmotifs. For example, in a sentimental piece of

music, one might use a rose to symbolize their, and it will appear repetitively until the end. In a

bit of literature, the leitmotif will convey the underlying message of the story. Therefore, it can

be considered as the theme of the piece of writing because they are associated. In other instances,

they build on the different elements of the work such as plot, setting, and characters. Looking at

the play "Miss Julie," the work by Strindberg makes good use of leitmotif.

In “Miss Julie” play by August, Strindberg’s leitmotif imagery is used similar to that of

"A Midsummer Night’s Dream” by Shakespeare since there is a contrast in the way the imagery

is used. Strindberg uses animal imagery to view human behavior. Jean compares the act of Miss

Julie towards her ex-fiancéeé to what an individual would do to a dog. She tries to show her ex-

fiancée to ride a horse, and Jean describes that Miss Julie made her ex-fiancée jump over her

whip the way a person teaches a dog to jump. In this, she is seen as trying to domesticate her

fiancée. Her overbearing attitude makes her be demonstrated as a master in the play where he

tells Jean about her life, "just so he would be my slave (Strindberg, 101)." However, the imagery

of a dog is contrasted when Miss Julie who is viewed as the dominant one in the play pleads with

Jean "Command me, and I will conform like a dog (Strindberg, 87)." Miss Julie feels that she is

much higher than Jean hence equates their relationship with that of a dog and its master.

Similarly, leitmotif imagery in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is used in connection to

characters romantic relationships, which contrast at times. For instance, the night, moon and

sight play a significant role in the relationship amid Titania and Oberon, Demetrius and Helena,

Lysander and Hermia as well as Hippolyta and Theseus. The moon in Egeus’s ultimatum to his

daughter Hermia is a representation of marriage and childbirth denial. “For aye to be confined,

living all your life as a barren sister, singing faded chants to the cold unproductive moon (Happé,

179).” The contrast is contained in the moon as imagery where it is portrayed as supporting or

blessing love instead. In the play “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Hippolyta relates the moon

with a heavenly bow instead of a cold Diana. Therefore, leitmotif imagery is used when

contrasting two different situations in drama such as inferior versus superiors like Miss Julie and

jean well as the contrasting nature of the moon. The moon in the play ‘A Midsummer Night’s

Dream’ as good and bad at the same time.

Differences between Classical Tragedy and a Modern Tragedy

The definition of tragedy is a play that ends with a sad and depressing mood. As a branch

of drama, tragedy tends to treat terrible events that have been encountered by a hero or events

that have been caused by heroes in a dignified and severe manner. In the setting, the hero is

always the protagonist. There are different types of tragedies, which include tragicomedy,

domestic tragedy, Elizabethan and Jacobean tragedy, revenge tragedy, Greek tragedy, and

Roman tragedy. These tragedies can be learned in drama class. Greek and Roman tragedies can

be classified as classical tragedies and tragicomedy and domestic tragedies as modern tragedies.

Classical tragedies have the main protagonist being from high or kingly rank. The fall of the

main protagonist is a state affair or a personal matter. The emotional power of classical tragedy

on the audience depends on the status of the protagonist. Aristotle, a Greek theorist, argued that

only great individuals should be used in a tragedy. In classical tragedy, the protagonist is usually

recognized as a hero, but in modern tragedy, the hero is a “common man” who dies without

being recognized as one. Both modern and classical tragedies have a sad ending, but they also

differ in various ways. Modern tragedies are developed and written today as drama whereas the

classical tragedies originated from traditional Greece in rituals that were performed to gods due

to natural occurrences.

Modern tragedy differs from classical tragedy mainly because classical tragedies have an

integrated plot consisting of one honorable protagonist. Contrary to classical tragedies, modern

tragedies are centered on ordinary people with genuine problems as well as multiple plots and

more than one central character. In modern tragedy drama, there is a more realistic time span

consisting of breaks and flashbacks whereas classical tragedy has one- time span. An ancient

tragedy was more of a narrative than a play. Also, fate and divine power are significant elements

in classical tragedies whereby the spin of a fortune wheel determine the ending of the hero,

however, rarely do fate, and religious ability play a role in modern tragedy since it is more

concerned with the practical, everyday problems (Happé, 98). The contemporary tragedy drama

focuses mostly on society. The society is seen as the oppressor of the hero in a modern tragedy.

Matters of ultimate and grave importance are the focus in contemporary tragedy, and it strives to

have a profoundly solemn tone. In modern tragedy, the modern tragic hero usually perishes

unrecognized as a star while in the classical tragedy, the protagonist’s death is an occurrence

lamented in performance by the cast and the audience.

For instance, Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet and Oedipus Rex are examples of classical

tragedies while modern tragedy examples include "Death of Salesman" by Arthur Miller and "A

View from the Bridge." Classical tragedies focus more on myths, spirituality as well as praising

the gods. The prophecy from the oracle that Oedipus would kill his father, get married to her

mother and rule over a vast kingdom is fulfilled in the play. Oedipus tries so much to avoid the

conflict, but it still happened. "Death of Salesman" by Arthur Miller is a modern tragedy with

Willy Loman as the protagonist who is obsessed with success through recognition. Willy's

tragedy occurs when he leaves his talent of being a carpenter to the American dream of a

traveling salesman that is impractical and unrealistic. Later in the play, Willy commits suicide

after his failure to achieve the American dream.

Works cited

Moliere, Jean-Baptiste Poquelin. Tartuffe. Oberon Books, 2015.

Gale, Cengage Learning. A Study Guide for Moliere's" The Imaginary Invalid." Gale, Cengage

Learning, 2016.

Scragg, Leah. Shakespeare's alternative tales. Routledge, 2017.

Happé, Peter. English drama before Shakespeare. Routledge, 2018.

Strindberg, August. Miss Julie. Courier Corporation, 2012.

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