Greek drama terminology

Question 1

anagnorisis

Answer 1

the point in the play which a principle character recognises or discovers another characters true identity

Question 2

Catharsis

Answer 2

purgatation that leaves the audience feeling justified and uplifted

Question 3

peripeteia

Answer 3

sudden reversal of fortunes or change in circumstances, especially in reference to fictional narrative

Question 4

antagonist

Answer 4

the principle opponent or foil to the protagonist

Question 5

hubris

Answer 5

a personality with extreeme or foolish pride or dangerous overconfidence, often comibinated with arrogance

Question 6

hamartia

Answer 6

a fatal flaw or error of judgment leading to the downfall of a tragic hero

Question 7

stichomythia

Answer 7

technique in verse drama in which sentences of single alternating lines or half lines or two line speaches are given to alternating characters. Typically features repitition and antitheisis

Question 8

Machiavellian

Answer 8

someone whose sole purpose is to manipulate and corrupt others for their own gain. They are often seen as a puppet master- they use others as tools to get what they want

Question 9

revenge tragedy

Answer 9

revenge play, dramatic genre in which the protagonist seeks revenge for an imagined or actual injury. First introduced by A.H Thornfikr to label a class of plays written in the late elizabethan and early jacobean eras

Question 10

malcontent

Answer 10

charachter type that often appeared in early modern drama. The charachter is discontented with the social structure and other characters in the play, and is often an outsider who observes and comments on the action, and may even acknowledge they are in a play