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Which of the following correctly characterizes Verdi's operas?

1) They are all tragedies.
2) They are all comedies.
3) They are all written in Italian.
4) They are all written in French.

User Sion
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

The correct characterization of Verdi's operas is that they are all written in Italian. While many of his operas are tragic in nature, not all strictly adhere to this genre, and not all his works are comedies. The core of the tragic genre, as defined by Aristotle, is to evoke pity and fear, leading to catharsis.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question asks about the characteristics of operas composed by Verdi. Of the given options, the one that correctly characterizes Verdi's operas is that they are all written in Italian. While not all of Verdi's operas are tragedies, many of them do contain tragic elements, as this was common in opera during his time. Similarly, not all are comedies, which can also be a feature in operatic works. It is important to note that while Verdi primarily wrote in Italian, there are instances where he composed or adapted works in other languages, such as French for the Parisian audience.

Tragedy and comedy are two significant genres in drama. According to Aristotle, the essential difference between the two is that tragedy revolves around suffering and is intended to evoke pity and fear from the audience, leading to a catharsis, or emotional purging. On the other hand, comedy is designed to inspire laughter and mockery, dealing with lighter themes and typically featuring lower-class characters. Modern tragedies, or dramas, often depict realistic scenarios that audiences can relate to closely.

User Sujit Agarwal
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