From yellow book Flashcards
What is a bildungsroman?
It’s a story about a young person growing up, learning about life, and figuring out who they are. It’s a German word that means “education novel.”
Who wrote the first bildungsroman?
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe wrote the first one, called Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre, in 1796.
Name two bildungsroman stories by Charles Dickens.
- David Copperfield (1850)
- Great Expectations (1861)
What is The Catcher in the Rye about?
It’s a bildungsroman by J.D. Salinger from 1951 about a young person growing up and facing life’s challenges.
Are all bildungsromans set in schools?
No, some are, but others like Lord of the Flies by William Golding (1955) are not set in a school.
What is anagnorisis in a Greek tragedy?
It’s when the hero realizes something big, like they’re stuck in a bad situation.
Anagnorisis occurs in Oedipus Rex by Sophocles when Oedipus realizes that he has unknowingly killed his father and married his mother. This moment of tragic recognition shifts his fate from ignorance to devastating knowledge, fulfilling the prophecy he tried to avoid.
What does catharsis mean?
It’s when the audience feels better after watching a sad story.
What is hamartia?
It’s a big mistake the hero makes, like missing a target.
What does hubris mean in a tragedy?
It’s when the hero is too proud and messes up because of it.
Another example is Macbeth, whose overconfidence in the witches’ prophecies makes him believe he is invincible. His hubris leads him to make reckless decisions, like murdering Macduff’s family, ultimately sealing his doom.
What is mimesis in a story?
It means the story copies real life, like people and nature.
Like vivd descriptions of it
What is nemesis in a Greek tragedy?
It’s the punishment the hero gets for their mistakes, like a big payback.
What does peripeteia mean?
It’s a big twist in the story that changes everything for the hero.
It often marks a turning point in a tragedy, leading the protagonist from good fortune to disaster.
What is spectacle in a play?
It’s the cool things you see, like costumes or sets in the play.
What is irony?
Irony is when something happens that’s the opposite of what you expect.
What is verbal irony?
It’s saying one thing but meaning the opposite, like calling something “clear as mud” when it’s confusing.
Give an example of verbal irony.
In Hannah and Her Sisters (1986), a character says something went well, but it didn’t.
What is situational irony?
It’s when something happens that’s the opposite of what you thought would happen.
Give an example of situational irony.
In The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry, a husband and wife give up special things to buy gifts, but the gifts don’t work out.
What is dramatic irony?
It’s when the audience knows something the characters don’t.
Give an example of dramatic irony.
In Romeo and Juliet, we know Juliet is just sleeping, but Romeo thinks she’s dead, so he dies too.
What did Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel say about tragedies?
Hegel said a tragedy is when two good things or rights clash, and they can’t both win.
Hamlet represents the moral duty of personal revenge and justice for his father.
The State (represented by Claudius) represents political stability and order.
Both forces have justification—Hamlet seeks justice, but his pursuit of revenge leads to chaos, destruction, and the downfall of nearly everyone, including himself. This tragic collision between personal morality and the demands of the state makes Hamlet a perfect example of Hegel’s idea that tragedy arises from two equally valid yet opposing principles.
How is Hegel’s idea different from Aristotle’s?
Aristotle focused on the hero’s mistakes, but Hegel said tragedies are about two good things fighting, not just good versus evil.
Give an example of Hegel’s tragedy idea.
In Antigone by Sophocles, the main character has to choose between family rules and city rules, and it ends sadly.
What does Hegel say about good versus evil in tragedies?
Hegel said tragedies aren’t just about good versus evil, but about two good things that can’t both happen.