Classical Drama & Shakespeare Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards for Classical Drama and Shakespeare.

Antigone

Central conflict: divine law vs. human law in burying Polynices.

Creon's Edict

Forbids Polynices' burial due to his attack on Thebes.

Antigone's Hamartia

Stubborn pride and unwillingness to compromise.

Ismene

Cautious and obedient to authority, contrasting Antigone.

Chorus

Represents Theban elders, providing commentary and moral perspective.

Ode to Man

Explores humanity's power, warning of hubris.

Creon's Change

Moves from authoritarianism to late recognition of errors.

Tiresias

Warns Creon of divine displeasure.

Haemon

Kills himself after Antigone's death.

Play's Ending (Antigone)

Tragic consequences of inflexibility, balancing human and divine law.

Fate in Antigone

Characters' choices lead inevitably to destruction.

Burial Rites

Essential for soul's peace in afterlife.

Gender in Antigone

Antigone challenges male authority.

Dramatic Irony (Antigone)

Creon's attempt to preserve order destroys his family.

Civil Disobedience

Resisting unjust laws for higher moral principles.

Oedipus Rex Irony

Oedipus seeks Laius's murderer, discovers he is the killer.

Oedipus Prophecy

Kill father, marry mother; he tries to avoid it by fleeing Corinth.

Oedipus's Hamartia

Pride (hubris) and quick temper.

Dramatic Irony (Oedipus)

Audience knows Oedipus's true identity.

Sphinx Riddle

Oedipus solved it, making him king; intellectual pride contributes to downfall.

Jocasta's Reaction

Tries to stop Oedipus, then kills herself.

Sight and Blindness

Physical sight vs. spiritual blindness; Tiresias is blind but sees truth.

Chorus (Oedipus)

Represents Theban citizens.

Messenger from Corinth

Reveals Oedipus was adopted.

Shepherd's Testimony

Confirms Oedipus killed his father, married his mother.

Oedipus's Response

Blinds himself and asks to be exiled.

Fate vs Free Will

Attempts to avoid fate actually fulfill it.

Plague in Thebes

Divine punishment for Laius's murder.

Oedipus's Past Violence

Killing Laius demonstrates quick temper.

Cathartic Effect

Audience experiences pity, fear, then relief.

Brutus's Motivation

Fears Caesar's ambition, assassination serves the greater good.

Antony's Manipulation

Uses irony, emotional appeals, and Caesar's will against conspirators.

Soothsayer's Warning

"Beware the Ides of March" represents fate and Caesar's tragic flaw.

Cassius's Persuasion

Appeals to Brutus's honor and republican ideals.

Omens and Supernatural

Foreshadow tragedy, suggest gods disapprove assassination.

Brutus vs Cassius

Brutus is idealistic, Cassius is pragmatic.

Caesar's Ghost

Brutus's guilt and consequences of his actions.

Friendship vs Duty

Brutus chooses public good over private friendship.

Antony's Development

Transforms from loyal friend to political manipulator.

The Crowd

Represents fickleness of public opinion.

Triumvirate Breakdown

Personal ambitions and political disagreements.

Portia's Death

Personal cost of Brutus's political choices.

Battle at Philippi

Final confrontation between republican ideals and imperial power.

Theme of Honor

Defined differently - integrity, loyalty, or idealism.

Tragic Irony (Julius Caesar)

Assassination hastens empire's transformation.

Prospero's Motivation

Bring enemies to island for reconciliation and justice.

Ariel's Service

Performs magic for promise of freedom.

Caliban's Relationship

Native inhabitant, enslaved by Prospero.

Miranda and Ferdinand

Fall in love at first sight, representing hope and renewal.

Prospero's Books

Represent power; destroying them symbolizes return to human world.

Colonialism Themes

Prospero's domination of Caliban.

Gonzalo's Role

Honest counselor, representing loyalty.

Antonio and Sebastian

Plot to murder Alonso and Gonzalo.

Masque in Act IV

Celebrates betrothal, demonstrates magical powers.

Prospero's Reconciliation

Through forgiveness rather than revenge.

Ariel's Freedom

Prospero's growth toward mercy.

Shakespeare's Farewell

Prospero's renunciation mirrors Shakespeare's retirement.

Stephano, Trinculo, Caliban

Comic relief, paralleling usurpation and power.

Island Setting

Allows transformation, magic, and exploration of civilization versus nature.

Prospero's Epilogue

Requests audience's applause, breaking the fourth wall.

Antonio's Bond

Forfeits a pound of flesh if he defaults on Bassanio's loan.

Portia's Disguise

Saves Antonio's life as a lawyer.

Casket Test

Ensures marriage to someone valuing inner worth.

Jessica's Elopement

Deepens Shylock's bitterness.

Shylock's Motivation

Revenge against mistreatment and persecution.

Quality of Mercy Speech

Appeals for compassion.

Nerissa's Role

Assists Portia's disguise.

Appearance vs Reality

Disguises, casket test, outward behavior vs inner nature.

Ring Subplot

Tests marriages' strength, explores loyalty, trust, forgiveness.

Antonio's Melancholy

Reflects costs of commercial lifestyle and isolation.

Shylock's Resolution

Forced conversion raises questions about tolerance and justice.

Bassanio's Development

Matures, values love over wealth.

Venice Setting

Commercial culture and religious diversity create conflicts.

Them of Usury

Reflects Renaissance anxieties about commerce, debt, and the morality of charging interest.

Belmont Function

Comic resolution, highlighting contrast between Venice's justice and Belmont's harmony.

Shakespeare's Birth

April 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon.

Shakespeare's Education

Stratford grammar school.

Shakespeare's Marriage

Anne Hathaway in 1582.

Lost Years

1585-1592; no records of his activities.

Elizabethan Companies

Joint stock ventures with shareholder-actors.

Globe Theater's Influence

Shaped dramatic techniques and social commentary.

Boy Actors

Played female roles.

Plague's Effect

Theater closures led to narrative poems.

Royal Patronage

Company became the King's Men under James I.

Financial Success

Unusually prosperous, owning shares and property.