It Is, and It Is Not

It Is, and It Is Not

THE CRITIC FRANK KERMODE CORRECTED OUR MISTRANSLATION of Aristotle's word hamartia (tragic flaw), suggesting that a more accurate and useful interpretation would be missing the mark. Kermode's preference is appropriate. The concept of a tragic flaw, after all, is strangely comforting, even absolving. It gives us an out, suggesting a divine inevitability in all our works that come to loss, or worse. But missing the mark lays at our door an inescapable burden of responsibility.

J. Edward Chamberlin's new book is all about people and societies missing the mark.1

It is a strange experience reading such a book in this climate of curmudgeonly politi...

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