Ancient Greek Theatre Vocabulary

Flashcards covering key terms, historical figures, dramatic devices, and structures of tragedy and comedy in Ancient Greek Theatre.

Orchestra

A circular stage used for performing ceremonies dedicated to Dionysus.

Dionysus

The God of wine, theatre, and fertility, noted as a party animal.

Thymele

An altar in the center of the orchestra used for sacrifice.

Tragos

Goat; goats were sacrificed at the beginning of each ceremony.

Chorus

Originally 50 men (later reduced to 12) who danced, moved, and spoke in unison to commentate and narrate the play.

Dithyramb

The song or production performed by the chorus.

Arion

Greek poet who wrote dithyrambs as literary work.

Thespis

A figure credited with adding the soloist role hypokrites to early Greek drama.

Hypokrites

The soloist role in early Greek drama, meaning "The answerer".

Extase

Normal existence.

Enthoustase

The act of being in a godlike state, acting like a God.

Skene

A tent or hut that had 2 to 3 doors with scenes painted on the front, which later became a permanent structure.

Aeschylus

Playwright best known for his play Agamemnon and for reducing the chorus to 12 men.

Strophe

The movement of the chorus from right to left across the stage, or a stanza moving toward the altar.

Antistrophe

The reaction to the strophe moving across the stage from left to right, or a counter-turn stanza in the same meter moving in the opposite direction.

Epode

An after-song in a different but related meter to the strophe and antistrophe, chanted by the chorus standing still.

Hubris

Excessive pride; the belief that one is somehow above the fates, or in control of destiny.

Deus Ex Machina

A plot device used to suddenly and abruptly solve a problem with the manufactured and unexpected intervention of some new character or ability.

Nuntius

The messenger who narrates action that occurs offstage due to the unities of time and place and the tradition against stage violence.

Hamartia

The protagonist's contribution to their own downfall by a mismatch between character and circumstances.

Unities

Aristotle's theory of three drama rules derived from Poetics: unity of action, unity of place, and unity of time.

Catharsis

The release of powerful, healing emotions that make tragedy moving.

Theatron

Literally the "watching place", where the audience sat to view the performance of a Greek tragedy.

Anagnorisis

A process of recognition in tragedy where the protagonist sees their own nature and destiny more clearly than before.

Masks

Theatrical items used because actors had many roles, played female parts, and needed assistance with visibility.

Parodos

The entrance song or chant sung by the chorus as it makes its entrance.

Peripeteia

A sudden and unexpected change of fortune or reverse of circumstances and hero's intentions.

Pathos

The quality within expression that evokes a feeling of pity or compassion.

Agôn

A debate contest in Greek comedy between two speakers (typically eight feet per line) in which the first speaker loses.

Parabasis

A section in comedy where chorus members remove their masks and step out of character to address the audience on important topical issues.

Epirrhema

A satyric or advisory chant (eight trochees per line) on contemporary issues by the leader of half the chorus.

Antode

An answering song by the second half of the chorus in the same meter as the ode.

Antepirrhema

An answering chant by the leader of the second half-chorus leading back to the comedy.

Exode

The exit song, which in comedy features a mood of celebration and possibly a riotous revel (cômos) or joyous marriage.