Greek Drama, Tragedy

Eudaimonia/Eudaimon

happniess/good human: at the right time, right place with the right reason, intention repeatedly.

Tragedy

imitation of an action that is complete, and whole, and of a certain magnitude

Mimesis

imitation, mime, when the object is imitated, if any one of them is displaced or removed, the whole will be disjointed and disturbed

Conventions of Greek Drama

wholeness, completeness, certain magnitude, physical conventions, dramatic irony, tragic hero, chorus, religious intent

Wholeness

everything is essential, if any one of them is displaced or removed, the whole thing will be disjointed and disturbed

Completeness

1. Unity of Time: every tragedy takes place in one cycle of the sun (24 hours)

2. Unity of Place: one setting, no scene changes

3. Unity of Action: no subplots, cause and effect, one main character. Must have beginning, middle, end

Certain magnitude

Event has gravity (ex. tragedy= grave ,serious, comedy= light, funny)

Physical conventions

All male, high-heel boots, wigs, robes, and masks. All look same, looming perspective which kept it proportional for people sitting far away

Dramatic irony

Playwright creates suspense. Emphasizes certain plot points and generally create tension between characters. Peak of dramatic irony = anagnorisis. Could humanize the characters as you can see the gap between what they think they know and what the truth is

Tragic Hero

a. man- noble in station, noble in character, virtue and actions are virtuous, opposite of vice. Noble status, greatness of character & power in society. Must exemplify traits of nobility and virtue as a part of his innate character.

b. great but not perfect: to evoke sympathy, but more importantly pity and fear (catharsis)

c. downfall (peripeteia) partially his own fault, result of free will triggered by some error (hamartia) in judgement or character. Not pure loss, awareness, punishment exceeds crime, not wholly deserved

Chorus

gives background information needed, exposition 15-20 men, elders, citizens, always in view of the audience. one chorus leader who dialogues with the main character and the rest of the chorus. the public, the people is what the chorus represents

--> citizens can only be men 18 and older, only Greek

--> elder means wisdom and supposed to listen to

Religious intent

part of religious festival of Dianysus (God of wine, drunken madness, chaos) so there was no killings on stage. A messenger always came with news of violence, requirement to attend. Prisoners were taken out of jails to attend plays which shows the moral lesson, reform, feel guilt, reflection Greek drama taught people. Allows for controlled chaos, brings out the importance of following the organized laws of the state

Hubris

typically pride, arrogance, exaggerated self confidence, but it is dynamic a conglomeration of the acts, an ongoing process

Hamartia

"tragic flaw", error, mistakes, weakness, what leads to the downfall, can be original mistake

Peripeteia (peripety)

reversal of fortune from good to bad circumstances, irrevocable

Anagnoris

point of climax, when the character experiences understanding of his/her tragic error. Generally verbalized and realization when the character knows everything the audience has know. Denouement is the turning point (used in other literature) towards the resolution, when the character knows all she needs to lead to resolution

Catharis

purgation of emotion (usually pity, fear) of the spectator through a work of art. Necessary for the regulation of society, the audience as witness

Miasma

pollution of the soul by violence and other vices

Parados

when prologue ends and Chorus comes on stage

Parts of Chorus

Kommos, Strophe, Antistrophe, Epode, Stasimon

Kommos

Choral ode where a character will engage in dialogue with the chorus. This is a formal, highly stylized operatic duet with musical accompaniment reserved exclusively for extreme trauma. Standard exchanges are spoken or chanted.

Strophe

1st part of choral ode, where the chorus moves(dances) from left to right, or east to west, across the stage

Antistrophe

answers, follows the strophe, wherein the chorus moves(dances) from right to left, west to east, across the stage

Epode

3rd part of the ode, following the strophe and antistrophe completing the Chorus's movement

Stasimon

where the chorus speaks and does not move across the stage. Dialogue rather than an ode.

Ode

chant; call and response