5.1 Flashcards
was an important part of ancient Greek life since it was one
of the ways they celebrated religious festivals or entertained themselves.
It was also their way of investigating the world they lived in.
Greek drama
The drama was considered the crowning glory of the ______ ___ because Athens became the literary center of Greece.
Athenian age
is derived from the Greek word ‘dran’ which means “to
do, to act, or to perform.”
Drama
2 main types of drama that were born:
Tragedy
Comedy
is a play that is more serious and deals with darker
themes, usually marked by a sad and depressing ending.
Tragedy
is a play that is meant to be humorous with a happy ending.
Comedy
From the ___ _______ ___ , tragic plays were
performed at religious festivals
in Athens.
6th century BCE
Some scholars claim
that the tragic drama evolved
from the lyrical performance of
epic poetry, though others
attribute its origin to the song
ritual performed in the worship
of ________ which was called
the ________
Dionysus
Tragodia (Cartwright)
were typically romantic and grief-ridden, cognizant of the
rampant corruption and power-tripping of egotistic men, and the love-hate relationship between men and their gods.
Greek tragedies
in Ancient Greece were satirical mockeries.
Comedies
was known as the master of comedy, particularly Old Comedy which were about men in power, particularly those who were vain and foolish.
Aristophanes
Later on, as the genre of
comedy evolved, _________ became known as the father of New Comedy, which were situational comedies of ordinary people (PBS).
Menander
one of the least known genres of Ancient Greek Drama
which are short plays performed between acts of tragic dramas. They make fun of the plight of the tragedy’s characters.
Satyr play
Ancient Greek tragedy consists of five important parts:
Prologue
Parados (Entrance Ode)
Episode
Stasimon
Exodus
This is the opening monologue or dialogue prior to the entrance
of the chorus that usually presents the background of the play.
Prologue
This is the actual entrance of the chorus through
expressive songs and dances that leads up to the main theme of the play.
Parados (Entrance Ode)
this is the central part of the play where the chorus and actors
interact through dialogues. Typically, there are ___ ________ performed by
the actors.
Episode
3-5 episodes
This section is where the chorus gives comment or reaction for
the episodes.
Stasimon
This is the concluding part of the play and the final song of the
chorus where the moral of the play is revealed.
Exodus
3 Principles of a Greek Tragedy
- “A true tragedy should evoke pity and fear on the part of the audience.”
- “The tragic hero [protaganist] must be essentially admirable and good.”
- “In a true tragedy, a hero’s demise must come as a result of some personal error or decision.”
the type of purification or purging of feelings that Aristotle believed was the purpose of a tragedy.
Catharsis
fatal flaw of the main
character that caused the tragedy to happen. He does not consider
accidents or “bad luck” to be a significant factor that causes pathos or suffering.
Hamartia
Six Elements of a Tragedy
Plot
Characters
Thought
Diction
Song
Spectacles
is the most important element of a tragedy. This is considered the
soul of tragedy where the arrangement of incidents or actions exist both internal and external
Plot
Plot can be classified as:
Simple or Complex
consists of “change of fortune” (catastrophe). The catastrophe
marks the protagonist’s failure and usually occurs at the end of the
drama.
Simple
involves both “plot reversal” (peripeteia) and “tragic
recognition or insight” (anagnorisis) connected with the catastrophe
Complex
refer to the hero, heroine, and other entities portrayed in the
play.
Characters
pertains to the message that the playwright wishes to convey
through the events and the characters. It also refers to what the characters think or feel during their career in the development of the plot through their speeches and dialogues.
Thought
– refers to the choice of words of the characters which are meant
to be delivered by the actors.
Diction
refers to the rhythm of actor’s voices as they speak by which
dialogues are delivered.
Song
are visual elements of the play, such as the physical
appearance of the actors, the special effects of the performance, and the
design of the stage.
Spectacles
first used by Aristotle, refers to a dignified character
in a tragedy. Aristotle states that heroes are imperfect and the tragedy they
experience in the plot of the play is of his own doing, such as his poor judgment,
pride, weakness, or an excess of an admirable quality. It is typically quite late
into the story when the hero is able to reflect upon the error of his ways.
Tragic hero
Aristotle’s Characteristics of a Tragic Hero
Hamartia
Hubris
Peripeteia
Anagnorisis
Nemesis
Catharsis
This is the hero’s flaw that leads to his tragic downfall.
Hamartia
This refers to the hero’s arrogance or excessive pride.
Hubris
This is the reversal of fate or fortune.
Peripeteia
This is a pivotal moment in which the hero reaches a realization.
Anagnorisis
Literally translating to ‘revenge,’ this is the full brunt of
consequences of the hero’s mistake.
Nemesis
Audiences experience this release of negative emotions such as pity
and fear towards the end of the play.
Catharsis
is one of the greatest Greek tragic poets. He is known for his
theatrical effectiveness, rapidity, directness, sense of suspense, and well-
written climaxes.
Sophocoles
