Greek Tragedy Vocab

Question 1

prothesis

Answer 1

1st part, preparing/display of body

Question 2

ekphora

Answer 2

2nd part, procession/burial

Question 3

perideipnom

Answer 3

3rd part, feast

Question 4

amphitheater

Answer 4

large open-air theater semi-circle, classic Greek format

Question 5

chorus

Answer 5

gives summary info before or after, narrators, provides perspective of the community

Question 6

skene

Answer 6

backstage, mask and costume storage

Question 7

parodos

Answer 7

where chorus enters, in front of audience, also choral entrance song

Question 8

orchestra

Answer 8

core of theater, chief performance place

Question 9

theatron

Answer 9

seats, where audience is

Question 10

catharsis

Answer 10

emotional cleansing/purging, balancing of emotions (in the audience)

Question 11

dues ex machina

Answer 11

determined by higher source/gods, out of human control

Question 12

catastrophe

Answer 12

sudden change of fortune

Question 13

peripeteia

Answer 13

reversal of plot/intention, changes perspective, character produces effect opposite to what he intended, necessary for climax to happen

Question 14

anagnorsis

Answer 14

the character’s recognition, change from ignorance to knowledge, climax

Question 15

mimesis

Answer 15

imitation, what could happen/what is possible

Question 16

hamartia

Answer 16

“tragic flaw,” made a large mistake, often comes from hubris

Question 17

tragic irony

Answer 17

actions lead to results diametrically opposed to those that were intended

Question 18

dramatic irony

Answer 18

full significance of characters’ words/actions is clear to the audience/reader but unknown to the character

Question 19

tragic character qualities

Answer 19

good or fine, fitness of character (true to type), true to life (realistic), consistency (true to themselves), necessary or probable (are their actions logical?), true to life and yet more beautiful (idealized, ennobled), role of hamartia (tragic flaw)