Revenge Tragedy Semester 1 Vocab

revenge tragedy

A dramatic genre in which the protagonist seeks vengeance for a perceived wrong, often resulting in moral ambiguity and excessive violence

Senecan tragedy

A roman dramatic tradition emphasizing rhetoric, ghosts, long speeches, and excessive violence. Senecan tragedy heavily influenced Elizabethan revenge drama.

catharsis

the process of releasing or purging strong or repressed emotions

anagnorisis

a moment of critical discovery by the protagonist, leading to reversal or recognition of fate

peripeteia

a sudden reversal of fortune or change in circumstances, especially in tragedy

soliloquy

a speech by a character alone on stage, revealing inner thoughts and motivations

monologue

a lengthy speech by one character in a play, directed to other characters

aside

a remark or passage in a play that is intended to be heard by the audience but unheard by one or more of the characters in the play

machination

a plot or scheme, especially one meant to bring about a downfall

momento mori

a symbolic reminder of the inevitability of death

macabre

disturbing and horrifying because of involvement with or depiction of death or injury

miasma

a foul “pollution”

ghost

a special figure returning to incite revenge; central o plays like Hamlet, The Spanish Tragedy, and Thyestes

madness

a common motif in revenge drama—questions of sanity and insanity often coincide with themes of metatheatre and performance

dramatic irony

when the audience knows more than the characters, creating tension and foreshadowing

usurpation

the unlawful seizure of power, often motivating revenge tragedy

metatheatre

theatre that reflects on its own nature; eg, plays within plays or self-awareness

stoicism

a Roman philosophy emphasizing rational control over emotion; contrasted with passion

justice

a central theme in revenge tragedy, depicted as divine, legal, or personal

fatalism

the belief that events are fixed and humans are powerless to change them

mimesis

representation or limitation of the real world in art or literature

hamartia

inherent defect or shortcoming in the hero of a tragedy, who is in other respects morally superior; Aristotelian: “error in judgement”