Greek Drama and Tragedy Concepts

Flashcards covering key concepts from Greek drama and tragedy.

What is the parados in Greek drama?

The first choral song sung as the chorus enters and takes its place.

What is stasimon?

A choral ode sung while the chorus stands still, reflecting on the action.

What is an agon?

A formal debate or verbal contest between two characters.

Define exodos.

The final scene or exit scene of a Greek tragedy.

What is monody in Greek drama?

A solo song expressing deep personal emotion.

What happens in the parabasis in Old Comedy?

The chorus speaks directly to the audience, often offering political/social commentary.

What is a deus ex machina?

A god or external force that resolves the plot unexpectedly.

What’s the function of the ekkyklema?

A wheeled platform used to reveal scenes from offstage, often involving death.

What is stichomythia?

Rapid, back-and-forth single-line dialogue used for dramatic tension.

What is a rhesis?

A formal speech delivered by a character, often revealing motives or events.

What is hamartia according to Aristotle?

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

How does Oedipus fit Aristotle’s model of tragedy?

His desire to uncover the truth leads him to unknowingly fulfill a terrible prophecy.

Why is Creon in Antigone considered a tragic hero?

His stubbornness and pride cause personal and political ruin.

How does Penthus in The Bacchae demonstrate tragic flaws?

His arrogance and denial of Dionysus’s divinity lead to his brutal death.

Why doesn’t Medea fit Aristotle’s tragic model well?

She begins in misfortune and acts out of calculated revenge, not a tragic error.

What role does Apollo’s oracle play in Oedipus the King?

It predicts Oedipus will kill his father and marry his mother, which he fulfills.

What is the significance of Tiresias in Greek tragedy?

He represents true insight, even though he’s blind—rulers often ignore his wisdom.

How does Dionysus show his dual nature in The Bacchae?

He offers joy to believers and vengeance to the arrogant.

What’s the irony in Pentheus’s words before heading to Mount Cithaeron?

He says he’ll return in triumph, but is instead carried back as a severed head.

What moral choice does Agamemnon face at Aulis?

Whether to sacrifice his daughter Iphigenia for favorable winds.

What change did Euripides make to Medea’s story?

He made Medea herself kill her children rather than the people of Corinth.