Tragic Terminology Flashcards
what is the meaning of Megalopyschia?
a greatness of soul (in relation to the tragic hero)
what is the meaning of “hubris”?
- an excessive pride (in relation to the tragic hero).
- it can be part of their greatness but also their downfall.
what is the meaning of “harmartia”?
- an error of judgement (in relation to the tragic hero).
- ultimately leads to tragic downfall
what is the meaning of “peripeteia”?
where everything goes wrong and the story is on a descent for the tragic hero from here.
what is the meaning of “catastrophe”?
the tragic end
what is the meaning of “anagnorisis”?
the final realisation of the tragic hero (e.g. for Othello, when Emilia tells him the truth)
what is the meaning of “catharsis”?
the purification and purgation of emotions - especially pity and fear - through art
classical tragedy
tragedy as outlined by Aristotle/as it was in Ancient Greece
domestic tragedy
a tragedy in which the tragic protagonists are middle or lower class individuals; the focus is more in the private, personal sphere rather than a public fall from grace.
fate
fate and inevitability play a large part in classical tragedies; the sense of the protagonist’s inevitable downfall is prevalent throughout.
Machiavellian
a character who is scheming, manipulative and seems to lack moral scruples; will do what they need to in order to achieve their own aims.
malcontent
- a character who steps back from the action of the play in order to comment on what is occurring
- they are dissatisfied with the current social order/state of things
- (could be a hero, as with Prince Hamlet, or a villain, as with Iago)
mimesis
mimicking real life on stage, which allows the audience to empathise
noble status
the tragic hero in a classical tragedy is expected to be in a prominent public position, usually, in Ancient Greece, this meant a member of a royal family, or even a God.
revenge tragedy
a dramatic genre in which the protagonist seeks revenge for a real or imagined injury
three unities
expected in a classical tragedy.
these are:
- the unity of action (plots should focus around one, central tragic plot, and not distract the audience with multiple subplots)
- the unity of place (action should be limited to a single location)
- the unity of time (action should take place within 24 hours)
tragic fall
in tragedies, we expect the tragic hero to experience a fall from grace
tragic hero
the protagonist of the tragedy
tragic villain
the antagonist of the tragedy
tragic waste
when good is destroyed as well as evil
