Greek Theater

Exposition

The first stage of a fictional or dramatic plot in which necessary background information is provided.

Rising action

A series of events following an inciting incident that disrupts the opening and builds up the action.

Climax

The turning point in a plot, representing the point of greatest tension.

Falling action

The action following the climax that moves the plot towards resolution.

Denouement

The resolution of the plot where conflicts are resolved and conclusions are reached.

Dramatic incitement

The incident that provides the starting point for the main action and causes conflict in the play.

Complication

An intensification of the conflict in a story or play.

Crisis

The climax of a play or story.

Resolution

The final section of a play where conflicts are resolved and conclusions are reached.

Allusion

An explicit or implicit reference to previous literature or history.

Anagnorisis

A moment in a narrative when a character makes a critical discovery.

Catastrophe

The action at the end of a tragedy that initiates the falling action.

Catharsis

The purging of feelings of pity and fear experienced by the audience of a tragic drama.

Characterisation

How writers present and reveal character through speech, actions, and other methods.

Chorus

A group of actors that observes and comments on the action, often through songs.

Conflict

A struggle between opposing forces in a story or play, usually resolved by the end.

Dialogue

The exchange of words between characters.

Diction

The selection of words in a literary work, forming a critical literary element.

Dramatic irony

When the audience knows something that the characters do not.

Epiphany

A moment of sudden realization or insight that changes a character's perspective.

Flashback

An interruption in the chronological sequence of a story to present an incident that occurred earlier.

Foil

A character representing opposite traits to another character, usually the protagonist.

Foreshadowing

Hints of what is to come in the action of a story or play.

Hamartia

A tragic flaw or error in judgment that leads to the hero's downfall.

Hubris

Excessive pride or arrogance leading to one's downfall.

Motif

A recurring important idea or image in a literary work.

Nemesis

The inescapable agent of someone's downfall or punishment.

Offstage

Action that occurs outside the audience's view, prompting imagination.

Pathos

A quality that evokes pity for a character from the audience.

Peripeteia

A sudden reversal of fortune or change in circumstances in a narrative.

Recognition

The moment a character realizes their true situation.

Reversal

The point at which the action of the plot turns in an unexpected direction.

Setting

The time and place of a literary work that establishes its context.

Staging

The spectacle of a play in performance, including actors' positions and scene design.

Stichomythia

Dramatic dialogue characterized by brief exchanges between two characters.

Symbol

An object or action that represents something beyond itself in a literary work.

Tragic flaw

A limitation of character that results in the downfall of the tragic hero.

Tragic hero

A high-status character who experiences a downfall caused by a tragic flaw.

Unities

The principle that a play should be limited to a specific time, place, and story.

Prologue

The introductory section of a play that sets up the context and main conflict.

Parodos

The entrance song of the Chorus that reflects on the play's themes.

Episode

The main scenes of a play where the narrative progresses.

Stasimon

Choral odes that follow each episode, reflecting on previous events.

Exodos

The final scene of a play which includes a resolution and the departure of the Chorus.

Tragic Structure

The classical structure of Greek tragedy following prologue, parodos, episodes, stasimon, and exodos.

Character Conflict

The clash between opposing values and characters, such as Antigone and Creon.

Strong Female Protagonist

A significant depiction of a female lead character in a male-dominated society.

Moral Ambiguity

The absence of clear-cut villains or heroes in a narrative.

Use of Foreshadowing

Hints within the narrative suggest future tragic outcomes.

Divine Intervention

The influence of gods or fate on the characters' lives and decisions.

Motif of Burial

The recurring theme emphasizing the cultural significance of burial rites.

Dialogue and Dramatic Irony

The use of dialogue that contains irony, creating tension by revealing information to the audience.

Imagery and Symbolism

The use of symbols and imagery to enhance themes and narrative.

Downfall due to Hubris

The central characters' downfall resulting from excessive pride.

Universal Themes

Enduring themes explored in the narrative, such as duty and civil disobedience.

Setting

The location of the play, where private and public duties clash.