Tragedy, Pure Aesthetic Delight (Knight's Tale Parts 1-4)

As though he stongen were unto the herte
And with that cry Arcite anon up sterte

And seyde, "Cosyn myn, what eyleth thee,
That art so pale and deedly on to see?
Why cridestow? Who hath thee doon offence?
For Goddes love, taak al in pacience
Oure prisoun, for it may noon oother be.

Fortune hath yeven us this adversitee.
Som wikke aspect or disposicioun
Of Saturne, by som constellacioun,
Hath yeven us this, although we hadde it sworn;

So stood the hevene whan that we were born.
We moste endure it; this is the short and playn." (1077-1091)

I'm not a faithful person, in any kind manner, but lately I've been relatively convinced in theorems proclaiming the individual being subject to its fate, of the unimportance of probability, and the rise of transcending life-missions. "Casually", yesterday I watched a movie that haven't seen for years, called 21 grams, (which I suppose most of you have already watched). Directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, and presenting Sean Penn and Benicio del Toro. The performances outgrew the story with no doubts, but nevertheless, its a pretty neat movie. Ironically, if you think about it, the motif allegories perfectly with the Knight's Tale: A binary, tragic linearity of events which interlude constantly, overlapping, revolving around each other, ultimately forming beauty...And I'm not referring to bliss within the story, but bliss as a final product benefit.

The previous passage presenting Arcite consistently reflects this theme, taking place after the encounter with Emelye, which constitutes the delusional happiness when the events pass through this "interlude" phase:"As though he stongen were unto the herte.." following the absence of hope, midly recovered throughout a static and heroic Arcite:" Fortune hath yeven us this adversitee..." The reader can observe Palamons evident tragedy, but in parallelism, can perceive the intricate beauty residing in a romantic adversity.

When saying that one was being in touch with a individual-destiny theory in any manner I was stating positivism, transcending life missions are definitely discouraging, your will lacks any kind of sense, therefore, it doesn't really matter what you do since your life is already determined, individuality, emotions, perceptions, all loose meaning, all become one big piece of nothing. Sadly for us, in 21 Grams and the Knight's Tale this motifs precisely seems to be the underlined message of the whole narration: destiny mocking us constantly, such as Arcite and Palamon when encountering a series of unfortunate events followed by glimpses of "delusional happiness", one being near death followed by Theseus decision of imparting them wih life imprisonment. Seeing Emelye followed by their self awareness. Arcite being liberated followed by his despair due false assumptions of having a worse fate than his cousin, love and torment, etc. Or in 21 Grams, when Paul Rivers temporarily recovers from his illness but later on his transplanted heart ends relinquishing him. Or Christina Peck which faces the loss of her family in an accident. Perhaps the most outstanding character, Jack Jordan, personifies the aesthetic delight of tragedy, being a christian ex-convict, he is the causer of the the accident and throughout the movie the weight of causality continually torments him.

Bloom, (as tragedy), reach its highest point in the moment of Arcites death, since the accumulation of tension brakes in a sudden flop of events, alluding immediately to the "force of fate" as a omniscient presence, being the true continuous momentum behind the plot, releasing affliction into confirmation.This could be compared to Paul Rivers death, since the "21 grams of the soul"metaphor comes into place lightly. Forcing a sudden accommodation of plots, almost in an inexplicable way. Not quite being a "Deus Ex Machina" tough, since it becomes a gentle aftermath for a vertiginous confrontation of powers and events, (tragedy).

Allurement invades the whole work, almost being engaging, magnetic. Dancing  with the preceding tragedies. The fluctuation of our so-called lives.

(The embedded code for this video is illegal so its a necessary requirement to go to the link below, which can personify a little bit better this theme, with some kick-ass acting from Del Toro.)

This Is Hell-Benicio Del Toro