ARISTOTLE'S CONCEPT OF DISCOVERY OR PERIPETIA

 Peripetia can be defined as;

       “A sudden reversal of fortune or change in circumstances, especially in reference to fictional narrative.”

It can also be defined as;

   “Peripetia or discovery in general is a transition from ignorance to knowledge.”

You may consider the identity of a person or of your dog or cat or of inanimate, even casual, things. There are six kinds of discoveries:

1-Signs and tokens

2-Formal declaration

3-Discovery through memory

4-Process of reasoning

5-Deception

6-Incidents or inferences that lead to some discovery

In order to have a sound grip on the concept of discovery, we will relate this concept with some known work of literature.

Peripetia in Hamlet:

In Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet, the peripetia occurs in Act 3 scene 3 when Hamlet sees King Claudius praying. It is the perfect opportunity to avenge his father and kill Claudius. Hamlet draws his swords, but then hesitates. He realizes that, since Claudius is praying, he would go to heaven if killed thus Hamlet’s father would not be avenged. Hamlet decides not to;

“Take him in the purging of his soul, when he fit and seasoned for passage”

He resolves to “know thou a more horrid hent”, or wait for a more horrible occasion. The irony is that, unbeknownst to Hamlet, Claudius cannot ask for forgiveness for murdering his brother because he is “still possessed”/ of those effects for which I did the murder/ my crown; mine own ambition and my queen.”

This scene males Hamlet’s point of no return in avenging his father and his hesitation allows Claudius to constantly be one step ahead. In the end, it is Hamlet’s hesitation that causes the death of himself, his mother, Laertes, and Ophelia. On the other hand, according to Hegel’s theory of tragedy:

“Tragedy is set in train by a peripatetic act that rebounds

Upon the agent as a conflict between ethical powers.”

The downfall of hero is specifically due to Hamartia and in Hamlet’s case it is the lack of action that causes his downfall.