Literary Terms to Know For Sophocles’ Antigone
1. Tragedy- First defined by the Greek philosopher, Aristotle (384-322 B.C.). The
function of a tragedy is to arouse two emotions—pity and fear -- in the audience so
that we may be purged, or cleansed, of these unsettling emotions. A tragedy can
only arouse these twin emotions if it presents a certain type of hero or heroine (see
“tragic hero”).
2. Catharsis- Aristotle’s term for this emotional purging. “Catharsis” refers to the
strangely pleasurable sense of emotional release we experience after watching a
great tragedy. For some reason, we usually feel exhilarated, not depressed, at the
end. It is as if we feel a sense of calm after the storm.
3. Tragic Hero- Aristotle characterizes a tragic hero as someone who is highly
renowned and prosperous (a member of a royal family) with a fundamental
character weakness (such as excessive pride or jealousy). The key point is he is
somewhat responsible for his own downfall, not a helpless victim of gods or someone
else’s villainy. Furthermore, the hero must come to realize his error and accept its
tragic consequences. He does not curse his fate or blame the gods—he is humbled
and enlightened.
4. Dramatic Irony- When the audience knows more than the characters on stage do.
Antigone is based on a Greek myth that was as familiar to Greeks as stories about
George Washington and Abraham Lincoln are familiar to us. For Greek audiences,
watching Antigone created suspense and anxiety, not because they wondered what
would happen next, but because of their knowledge of things that characters on
stage did not know.
5. Chorus-A group of performers who dance and sing together between scenes;
usually their songs comment on the action that occurred. The chorus served as a
bridge between actors and audience, expressing traditional social and religious
views that many in the audience would have shared.
6. Extended Metaphor- An extended comparison of two unlike things that does not
use like or as.
7. Foil- A secondary character in a play who contrasts with a major character. In
Antigone, Ismene serves as a foil to her sister and our protagonist, Antigone, and
much can be learned by comparing/contrasting the two.