Is there an anagnorisis in Romeo and Juliet?

Answer 1

Anagnorisis, the climactic recognition of self or others, was a term used in Aristotle's study of drama. He was thinking of Oedipus' recognition that he has killed his father and married his mother, and similar moments in Greek tragedy.

Shakespeare, however, wasn't Greek, did not know about Aristotle's theories and didn't care (thank heaven!). Such scenes do happen in his comedies of mistaken identity like Comedy of Errors and Twelfth Night. A similar type of scene occurs in Othello, where he learns that he has been deceived by Iago and has wrongfully murdered Desdemona. Most of Shakespeare's tragedies are not structured in such a way, and only the most rabid Hellenophile would try to fit such English square pegs into such Greek round holes.

In Romeo and Juliet, there is a scene where each of them finds that the other belongs to the enemy family. "My only love sprung from my only hate" says Juliet, when she finds out. But in the end it doesn't matter--Romeo and Juliet carry on in spite of the feud. This recognition does not change them and is not anagnorisis

Answer 2

The discovery that the prophecies are true is the anagnorisis in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, anagnorisis refers to recognition oneself and what one stands for. The description fits Oedipus' realization of his mistaken self-image and recognition of his true self-identity. It comes at the end of the interview with the Theban shepherd about Oedipus' true parentage, spouse and victim.

Answer 3

The discovery that the prophecies are true is the anagnorisis in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, anagnorisis refers to recognition oneself and what one stands for. The description fits Oedipus' realization of his mistaken self-image and recognition of his true self-identity. It comes at the end of the interview with the Theban shepherd about Oedipus' true parentage, spouse and victim.

Answer 4

Basically because it is a different play from Oedipus Rex. Oedipus Rex is a tragedy of a man slowly discovering the secret and horrifying truth about himself. Of course there is a moment in that play when Oedipus accepts that truth, and that is the anagnorisis. Othello is another play where a man is deceived with tragic consequences, and there comes a moment when Othello realizes what a dupe he has been, and that is the anagnorisis. But the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is not about them discovering an unpleasant truth about themselves. Indeed, they mature and see things more clearly as the play goes on. Their tragedy is that their love cannot hold back the chain of events which will destroy them. Self-deception is not a part of their tragedy, and so there is no anagnorisis.

Answer 5

After research it has been decided that there is no such element of classical tragedy in Romeo and Juliet.

Answer 6

Upon great research myself, i do not think there is any anagnorisis used in this tragedy.

Answer 7

moment of recognition in which the main character perceives his own role in his suffering.

Answer 8

An anagnorisis is the moment in a plot of a drama in which the hero makes a discovery that explains previously unexplained events or situations.