Antigone Vocabulary

Question 1

Antagonist

Answer 1

The ‘villain’ of the play, opposite of a protagonist, the person who tries to stop them from getting what they want

Question 2

Aristotle

Answer 2

Greek philosopher and poet, came up with ‘The unities’ and developed the rules of theatre

Question 3

Catharsis

Answer 3

Creation of emotions pity and fear in the audience. It was the aim of a tragedy to do this.

Question 4

Chiton

Answer 4

Garment worn by men and women; full length for women, knee length for men

Question 5

Chorus

Answer 5

Group of actors who commented on the action in a play, usually 12 men. Purpose was to push the narrative forward, comment on the action, be the voice of the people, and to speak what the characters could not.

Question 6

Choryphaeus

Answer 6

The chorus leader

Question 7

Ekkyklema

Answer 7

Wagon or platform used to bring on set or dead bodies

Question 8

Fatal flaw

Answer 8

A personality trait that brings about a character’s downfall. Could be something like pride, greed, lust, stubbornness, desire, jealousy etc. causes them to act wrongly

Question 9

Hamartia

Answer 9

Greek word for fatal flaw

Question 10

Himation

Answer 10

A cloak worn over the chiton

Question 11

Hubris

Answer 11

Greek word for arrogance. A tragic character with a fatal flaw has hubris, and this prevents them from changing their mind or actions before it’s too late

Question 12

Mask

Answer 12

Worn by the chorus, traditionally to show facial expressions when the audience were sat far away in the amphitheatres, but in modern day could be used to distance the chorus from the action and show unity

Question 13

Ode

Answer 13

A verse performed by the chorus

Question 14

Orchestra

Answer 14

Part of the stage where the chorus stands

Question 15

Parados

Answer 15

Greek names for the sides of the stage, entrances and exits (the wings)

Question 16

Protagonist

Answer 16

The main character of a play, the good person who tries to achieve their aims, but the antagonist gets in their way

Question 17

Skene

Answer 17

The backdrop of the stage

Question 18

Sophocles

Answer 18

Author of antigone

Question 19

The unities

Answer 19

Aristotle’s theory that for a tragedy to be effective it should stick to three rules:
- the action should all happen in one place (unity of place)
- the action should take place in one day (unity of time)
- and there should be just one plot, no subplots (unity of action)

Question 20

Theatron

Answer 20

The audience seating in a traditional Greek theatre

Question 21

Thebes

Answer 21

City in Greece where the action takes place

Question 22

Tragedy

Answer 22

Play of somber theme involving a great character with a a flaw that destines them to downfall or destruction