Greek Tragedy Terms

Flashcards covering essential terminology and definitions related to Greek Tragedy, facilitating a review of key concepts for the upcoming exam.

Thespis

Considered the 'father of drama,' introduced the idea of formally acting out storytelling.

Hypocrities

An actor, a person pretending to be someone they are not.

Chorus

Actors who sing and dance as a group, and model how the audience should react to the play.

Choragos

Leader and speaker of the chorus to advise, question, and offer opinions to characters.

Parados

(n) Entrance/exit on each side of the orchestra; (v) parading entrance (exodos is a parading exit).

Tragedy

An imitation of an actual, serious action to arouse fear and pity in the viewer.

Tragic Hero

A character of noble birth, neither totally good nor totally evil; downfall caused by their tragic flaw.

Hamartía

A tragic flaw (weakness of character or error in judgment) which causes the hero's downfall; archery term meaning 'to miss the mark.'

Hubris

Pride; over-confidence in one's own power which leads to hero's sin against gods.

Até (AH-tee)

Goddess of mischief and rash destruction; rashness; infatuation.

Koros

Complacency; self-satisfied unawareness of personal flaws or real dangers.

Nemesis

Goddess of vengeance who doled out rewards for noble acts and punishment for evil ones.

Moira

Fate that determines one's path and place in life, neither as a punishment nor a reward for choices.

Tyche

Chance; random, unpredictable force responsible for what happens in specific circumstances.

Perpetería

Reversal of fortune from good to bad

Anagnorisis (a-nuh-gnor-l-sis)

Recognition of truth on the part of the hero; a change from ignorance to knowledge.

Arete (uh-reh-TEE)

Excellence of morals or behavior; knowing the morally and socially right thing to do.

Apostrophe

Addressing someone or something that is absent, abstract, or inanimate.

Stichomythia

Individual lines of verse dialogue assigned to alternate speakers, usually occurs at moments of tension.

Catharsis

Purging of fear and pity, leaving the viewer temporarily relieved and elated.