"Murders On The Stage, Tortures, Woundings, And The Like": Dungeons & Dragons Adventures As Tragedy
"Murders On The Stage, Tortures, Woundings, And The Like": Dungeons & Dragons Adventures As Tragedy
"Murders On The Stage, Tortures, Woundings, And The Like": Dungeons & Dragons Adventures As Tragedy
Brian Mckenzie
December, 18, 2023
Summary
This piece argues that Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) adventures function as Aristotelian tragedies, with catharsis and wonder as their central goals. Drawing on Poetics, the author suggests adventure writers act as dramatists, crafting morally complex stories that prioritize player agency. D&D’s immersive, participatory nature makes it superior to passive storytelling forms like Epic poetry. The genre’s structure enables deep emotional engagement, but also carries risks—poorly designed campaigns that lack catharsis and wonder can cause “moral injury.” However, by empowering players to resolve dilemmas through their characters, D&D offers healing through meaningful, dramatic experiences akin to Greek tragedy.
Reference
McKenzie, B. (2023, December 18). “Murders on the stage, tortures, woundings, and the like”: Dungeons & Dragons adventures as tragedy. Analog Game Studies. Retrieved from https://analoggamestudies.org/2023/12/murders-on-the-stage-tortures-woundings-and-the-like-dungeons-dragons-adventures-as-tragedy/