Tragedy key terms

hubris

the protagonist’s excessive pride or arrogance

hamartia

errors of judgement on the part of the protagonist

anagnorisis

the protagonist recognises the truth of their state

peripeteia

a reversal of fortune for the protagonist from which there is no return to their previous state

catharsis

the audience feels relief and purged of strong emotions felt during the tragedy

climax

the emotional highpoint of the play

catastrophe

death and destruction

denouement

the resolution of the play

expressionism

a literary work that is personal, relies on sensory experiences and delves deeper into human consciousness to separate character’s perceptions from reality

realism

a depiction of accurate everyday life of a place or period enhanced by objectively showing details and events, presenting things exactly as they are