MovieChat Forums > Rectify (2013) Discussion > Is Rectify a greek tragedy?

Is Rectify a greek tragedy?

posted 8 years ago by littlejo002
8 replies | jump to latest

Since the start, Rectify went back to ancient Greece, had episode named Plato's cave, and Greek mythology always was a part of it, unobtrusively intertwined, like in that one episode with goats and that Satyr man, if I'm not mistaken.
There were always some hints, such as that statue, somewhere on the meadow near the forest, and now, the latest one was pretty clear - the very Parthenon in Nashville, where Daniel and mother talked.

I'm not claiming anything for sure, but it sure does feel
like this all leads to some darker ending than one could wish for.
I hope I'm wrong, but it does feel like a tragedy. And with only so
much time left, things don't look bright, either.

They sure looked bright for a while, but with opening some very serious
and hurting life questions, is there really hope for a 'happy' ending?

It shall probably be meaningful and hopeful, instead,
but I'm so afraid it won't turn out that way - and shall be tragic instead.

Oh, the humanity...

[–] 8 years ago

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[–] 8 years ago

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[–] mme3924-1 8 years ago

I agree that McKinnon, who probably has a passing acquaintance with Greek mythology, would like Rectify to be seen as modern Greek theatre. As noted, he has thrown in images and hints and suggestions. But all tragedies are not Greek. Is this a tragic hero story? And is Daniel he? According to the ancient idea of hubris, Daniel did exhibit hubris when he humiliated Teddy with the coffee assault.

Or is it Teddy, who certainly can be seen as having the flaw of exaggerated self pride. Or is it Amantha, who believed, through her own will, that she could wrest Daniel from the abuses of authority? Or is it Jon, who cannot let go of his mission to exonerate Daniel?

Does Fate enter into Daniel's tragedy? Was there no escaping his 20 years in prison? If so, then, in addition to his suffering, Daniel should be gaining insight. Is he? And if he's truly heroic, according to the Greeks, his tragedy cannot be only bad luck or due to someone else's malfeasance. He must carry some of the responsibility.

And where/who is the chorus?

If Mckinnon is checking all the boxes, then we, the audience, should expect and experience catharsis. Will we?

We'll see.

Edited to correct Greek.

[–] Whatlarks 8 years ago

Hmm. I see where you're coming from. To my mind the symbols mentioned don't seem particularly related to tragedy, Greek or otherwise. For example, the Goat Man, and the way Daniel interprets his experience with him, is overtly biblical. Daniel even "remembers" his name: Azazel (Leviticus 16:1.)

We haven't seen the ending yet, but I truly don't believe this is going to turn out tragically. It feels like it's going in the opposite direction. If I had to keep to Greekness, I'd say there are some shared elements in Daniel's progression with Oedipus At Colonus, with its tragic hero who sinned unknowingly, his banishment, the secret grove, his acceptance of his fate and consequent coming to personal power and final peace.

"You must not judge what I know by what I find words for." - Marilynne Robinson

[–] Mr_Fluffykins 8 years ago

i think it is a roman tragi-comedy,
the Romans lived a hedonist lifestyle, Lezlie with the Z is caligula,
of course, despite the horrible traditions of pansexual
Daniels disgusting coffee cracking, and sick psychopathic sexual predator Daniel
would have been executed in roman times already,
but because Ray Mckinnon is a libtard, obviously hes is going to use his homosexual liberal media bias, to promote his sick fantasies,
now that him and Aden young can legally get married,
Gross perception distortion manipulation,

[–] 8 years ago

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[–] Mr_Fluffykins 8 years ago

Daniel should just coffee-crack teddy again

[–] Eva_Marrie 8 years ago

Fluffykins, you're the most effective troll-exterminator ever!