Midterm Flashcards
When did Ancient Greek culture flourish?
From 1100 BC to 146 BC.
What innovations and contributions to society did the Greeks give?
Foundation of modern day philosophy and democracy. Poetry, art, architecture, and science.
Describe Ancient Greek religion.
Polytheism: the belief in many gods.
1st culture to conceive of gods in their own image.
Orally passed down.
Greek and Roman overlaps.
When did Aristotle live?
386 BC to 322 BC
What was Aristotle’s famous book that described play structure and the nature of art?
Poetics
What play did Aristotle get many of his ideas from?
Many of his ideas of structure based off Oedipus Rex.
Tragedy
“An imitation of an action that is serious, complete & of certain magnitude.”
Goals of Tragedy
Imitates life
Brings out pity and fear
Releases emotions
The plot is more important than the character.
Catharsis
To purge heavy emotion.
Hamartia
A tragic flaw that causes downfall.
Hubris
Excessive pride or arrogance, especially against the gods.
Peripetia
Moment of reversal
Anagnorisis
Moment of recognition
Prologue
The opening that precedes the first song, introduces conflict
Episodes
Sections of a play between choral ode, progress action of narritive
Strophe
Chanting of chorus moves to left
Antistrophe
Chanting of Chorus moves to right
Ode
A long serious poem, a song of praise sung by the chorus
Inciting moment
Initial conflict that sparks the action
In Oedipus: The plague
Exposition
Background of themes and characters etc.
In Oedipus: Oedipus solved the riddle and is king. Oracle tells Creon the town must either kill or banish Laius’s murderer. One witness saw a band of thieves kill him.
Rising action
Increases tension or uncertainty dealing with the conflict.
In Oedipus: Tiresias claims that Oedipus is the killer. Oedipus accuses Creon. Jocasta describes Laius’s death at three highways and sends for the shepherd (witness)
Complication
Between rising action and climax
Messenger tells Oedipus that Polybus is dead and was never his real father. Jocasta pleads with Oedipus to stop questioning.
Climax
Moment if greatest tension, uncertainty, or audience involvement.
Oedipus talks to the shepherd who begins to reveal information about Oedipus’s birth and abandonment.
Reversal
Turning point (peripeteia)
Oedipus comes to anagnorisis and realizes what he did.
Falling action
Earlier tragic force causes the fall of the hero
Jocasta cries out “Laius!” and cannot believe what she did. Oedipus calls for a weapon, leading to believe that he would kill her.
Catastrophe
Spirals outward and is at the lowest point
Jocasta kills herself and Oedipus stabs his eyes.