Sad and Tragic

[iskander_32]

Companions HiFrom Time to time i read quotes that Alexanders life was tragic and sad,,, Ive heard Farrel refering that Alexanders life was quite tragic and sad.I really don't buy that concept apart from ups and downs and losses in his life I dont think he was a tragic figure in history,,, He was doing what he wanted and I do feel he enjoyed his life I dont think he was a manic depresive or a solitary drunkard.Forgive my ignorance but I dont get the tragic concept of his life at all he was loved popular had close friends and even loves in his life,, Apart from his disjointed upbringing by waring parents I would say he was ok in himself,, Maybe the self seeking adventurer was a little bit sad as he was always wondering whats over the next mountain.Does anyone else feel Alexanders was a tragic and sad life.RegardsKenny

[jona]

Tragedy is a difficult concept, because it has to do with the nature of good and evil. If I may simplify, where we can normally say that good and evil are conflicting, and bad things mean the victory of evil, the tragic world view is less clear-cut. It means that good things can be conflicting, and that evil is the result of this clash.Accepting this simplified definition, there is at least one big tragedy in Alexander's career: he was unable to create one court ritual. He had to be an accessible king to the Macedonians, "one of the boys"; but court ritual had to be more complex in Persia, because the Iranians believed that Ahuramazda had created differences between people and thought it was absurd that different peoples could have access to Ahuramazda's representative in one and the same way.Both opinions are justifiable. Alexander never overcame the difference. Everything he did to become acceptable to the Iranians made him more unacceptable to the Macedonians, and vice versa.To pick up an earlier threat posted by Kenny: here's one nice thing to say about Alexander - he recognized the problem. His solutions did not work out well (dressing differently, proskynesis, sublimation of the problem by self-deification), but he understood the problem and started to look for a solution. Of course, he had created the problem himself. No one forced him to keep his eastern possessions. But unlike several other Macedonians, he recognized the problem.Jona

[marcus]

I'm not sure I'd agree that it necessarily has to do with "good and evil", although I agree with what you say.Alexander's life would certainly have been considered 'tragic' from a Shakespearean point of view; and, if I recall the little I've read of Aristotle, his life corresponds to 'Aristotelian tragedy'. However, for the life of me, and at this time of day when I've been reading legal documents all day, I can't offer more than this ...All the bestMarcus

[nick]

I suppose that someone who has achieved everything he has planned and wished for in his life, indeed will feel sad and tragic after all.Regards ---Nick

[Ariadne]

Interesting subject ! May be the most interesting about this story .I think every tragedy has the feeling of absurd, and this feeling is present in Alexander's life. Why not to stop and enjoy his power, money, and all of that, why does he keep going further ?
I don't remember who was singing that song "May be I'm just like my mother, she's never satisfied..."
Seriously, that's a great topic. Difficult to discuss for me in english and after a day of work, but exciting.
I think Oedipus complex has a great part on it....
And also the will to know what stands further. And the will of domination, of course. In fact it's all of that, consciously or not.
On our childhood, we all want to have power on everything, and all seems possible. I think he kept this feeling as a man...Let's speaking about that !Ariadne

[jan]

Hi Kenny,I noticed that about Colin's comments too. He describes alexander's life as lonely at the top.As Colin only has Robin Lane Fox and Oliver Stone as his sources of information, you gotta consider the source!Alexander's life has had many interpretations. If you think that it is a fulfilled life, you probably wouldn't think that it is full of tragedy. However, if you were to learn of treachery, plots against your life, and especially from those you had considered great lifelong friends, you might find that tragic. I believe the reference is due to his dying so young rather than living on to see his own dreams come true. Think about it in that light and you might find it a bit tragic. On the whole, I am inclined to agree with you that as he fulfilled his ambitions, kept his own dream alive, conquered many nations, and spread the gospel of his faith, he achieved success and cannot be truly considered a tragic figure at all. Good for you, Kenny, in seeing the positive side.By the way, I just saw the awful Richard Burton movie again. That is tragic!

[iskander-32]

Janet HailI agree the tragedy was for him to die so young,, Tragedy indeed some friends plotted and schemed.But full life indeed.regards Kenny

[ruthaki]

Yes, for me the 'tragedy' was his early death, but considering what he'd already been through it was also a 'miracle' he'd lived that long. Those were rough times, hand-to-hand combat and relentless battles not to speak of enemies lurking here and there and all those disease they had to cope with without today's miracle drugs. He lived his life to emulate Achilles and he accepted his fate, "A short life and glory" so that was his ultimate wish.