According to me, the novella ‘’The OLD MAN and Sea’’ is a tragedy because there are two term ‘’ “Hamartia ’’ and ‘’Catharsis’’ presented in the novella suggested by Aristotle for the tragedies.
1) Hamartia
The term means a tragic flaw in a strong character. The hero is a strong character but has small weakness that causes his fall .Though he was master in fishing, he made an error of judgment that is too far. It suggest that if thinking is your power, it’s also your downfall.
2) Kath arsis/Catharsis.
The term means purgation of emotion .Aristotle says tragedy purifies our emotion through pity and fear. We identify us with the hero of the tragedy and us sympathies with the hero. We fear that we may not be put in the same condition in real life .In the same way, we compares our struggle for to Santiago’s struggle for big fish .It leaves one with perhaps a better understanding of the life around them.
The story ends as a tragedy but it was a good tragedy. Like, old man’s pride leads him to the destruction of his quarry also helps him to achieve the respect of the village people and secure his relationship with the boy. So the spirit of tragedy is optimistic rather than pessimistic.
‘’The Old Man AND the Sea’’ is also an experiment with time. Three of times are shown in the novella. 1)The Clock Time
It measures the present events .The time When Santiago goes to catch the fish and his relationship with the boy.
2) Psychological Time.
It shows a journey from youth to age. In the novella, Santiago remembers hand-wrestling contest. Santiago is still “dreaming about the lions” the same once he saw in Africa when he was younger and would like to see again. By the use of stream of consciousness, Hemingway shows the psychological time.
3) The Historical Time.
The historic time is shown in relation to nation wild and world wild event. Hemingway has also given some historical references such Cuban culture. Because of it’s long Spanish heritage. However, Cuba was still dominated by catholic culture influence. The effect of circumstance is seen much time in the novella. When Santiago says” I am not religious but I will say ten our father and ten hail mars that I should catch this fish and I promise to make a pilgrimage to the virgin of cobra if I catch him.”
4) Conclusion.
The novella is an experimental one rather than the traditional one. So it could be identified as the modern novella.
