Tragic Community

Abstract

This chapter contains a discussion of ancient and modern tragedy in relation to political issues. Ancient tragedy contains political concerns linked to the existence of the ancient city state. Changes in political community are reflected in changes in the genre of tragedy, as we see in the emergence of modern tragedy which is more concerned with subjectivity than impersonal laws. Kierkegaard is shown to be disturbed by the lack of tragedy and insight in the modern world, though the conditions for the decline of tragedy are strongly associated with Christianity, in its emphasis on the individual before God. Kierkegaard tries to recover something of the lived community of ancient tragedy and politics in the modern world.