A.P. English Test #4
Drama & Greek Tragedy
“Chapter 27: The Tragic Vision”
Definition of tragedy: A drama that recounts the fall of an individual
who, while undergoing suffering, deals responsibly with the situations and
dilemmas that he faces, and who thus demonstrates the value of human
effort.
Subjects of tragedy: Heroic, religious/philosophical issues, hubris
(arrogant pride), battles, well-known myths, others?
Evolution of tragedy: Goat song  Billy Goat Song; Only Chorus  Chorus
with Leader  impersonation
Three great tragedians: Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides
Significance of Aristotle: Western world’s first critic and aesthetician;
catalogue of complete works of Greek tragedy
Catharsis: Concept that tragedy, by arousing pity and fear regularizes and
shapes the emotions: therefore, it is essential in civilized society; the
hope that the drama would cause people to be more moderate
Three elements of tragic plot: (1) Representation [mimesis] – not an exact
representation of life, moral role yet artistic freedom; and (2) Stages –
reversal of the situation, Recognition [anagnorisis], scene of suffering
[pathos]
Physical elements of Athenian theaters: (p. 1299) Open-air, alter
dedicated to Dionysus, orchestra was the focal point and centered, actors
wore elaborate costumes, masks were commonly used. See photo near end.
Structural divisions of a tragedy: (1) Prologue, (2) Parados, (3) Four
episodes and four stasima, and (4) Exodus
Oedipus the King
1. Background
A. Oedipus = “swollen foot” in Greek; oida means “I see,” dipous means
“two-footed.”
B. King of Thebes; raised in Corinth
C. Aristotle considers the drama great because “Oedipus’ recognition of
his guilt coincides exactly with the disastrous reversal of his
fortunes.”
2. Summary
A. Prologue
a. Thebes is suffering from a plague
b. Oedipus sends a messenger to ask the gods for help
B. Episode 1 and Stasimon 1
a. Tiresis accuses Oedipus of the murder
b. Oedipus accuses Creon of conspiracy
c. “Innocent until proven guilty.”
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C. Episode 2 and Stasimon 2
a. Kommos – a dirge or lament by society
b. Jocasta explains why she doesn’t believe in prophecies and
shares the story of her son
c. Derisive – Jocasta believed she could manipulate the gods, this
parallels Oedipus trying to avoid his fate/prophecy
d. Oedipus recalls his actions on the road to Thebes
e. Irascibility –
f. Antistrophe 2 - Begs god’s to show truth because if the gods
cannot be trusted society loses everything they once stood on
D. Episode 3 and Stasimon 3
a. Herdsman arrives
b. Jocasta prays for Oedipus
E. Episode 4 and Stasimon 4
a. Oedipus realizes/confirms the truth
b. Admits his wrong
F. Exodus
a. Oedipus gouges his eyes out (two prongs, like the two prongs
used when he met Laius)
b. Jocasta commits suicide (offstage which helps to emphasize
Oedipus)
c. Creon gains power and remains to Oedipus; he continues to
consult gods for guidance (Oedipus doesn’t)
d. “Evil my nature, evil my origin.” – Oedipus (return to original
creature)
e. Oedipus worries about his daughters
Essays
1. Fate vs. Tragic Flaw:
A. Fate (arranged by gods)
i. Oedipus did not chose family or cause prophecy
ii. Could not help meeting Laius on the road
iii. He was the only who could solve the riddle of the Sphinx
and the prize of the Kingdom and Jocasta was not his choice
iv. He was too young to remember or react to the herdsman
saving him
v. He could not avoid hearing the “drunken words”
vi. Gods refused to tell him the truth about his father
B. Tragic Flaw (hubris)
- quick temper
- hubris ~ arrogant pride
- jumps to conclusions
vii. killed Laius out of anger/pride
viii. Attempted to thwart prophecies (better than gods)
ix. Gouged eyes out in a quick reaction
x. Assumed Creon was against him, though he could have helped
xi. Turned the prophet away despite that he sent for him
xii. Never considers that he could be to blame
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2. Types and examples of irony:
A. Dramatic Irony – occurs when the meaning intended by a character’s
words or actions is opposite of the true situation; the character
does not see of understand the contrast but the audience does.
i. Audience and actors are familiar with the legend
ii. Jocasta believed she had outsmarted the gods but in fact
was part of the gods’ grand scheme
iii. Oedipus states, “A man is a fool if he thinks he can sin
against his kinfolk and escape the wrath of gods.”
B. Cosmic Irony – deals with fate and pre-destination. See also, fate,
above.
i. Met and killed Laius as he ran from his adoptive father in
hopes of not killing him
ii. The main point of prophecy (Oedipus killing his father)
happened where three-roads met (symbolize decision?), while
everything else that had happened to Oedipus concerning the
prophecy was out of his control, his own pride caused him
to kill his father
C. Situational Irony – defies logical cause/effect relationship;
commonly characterized by “unfair” or “unfortunate” circumstances.
i. Saved by warriors at birth, then killed the warriors with
Laius on the road (I am not certain that the warriors gave
him to the herdsman or if the herdsman found him…I will
work on looking into this.)
ii. Oedipus would always have a position of royalty
iii. Only thing he wanted was to spare his family
D. Verbal Irony – Refers to spoken words only. Verbal irony occurs when
a character says one thing, but suggests or intends the opposite.
i. He mocked the blind man (Tieresius) near the beginning and
at the end caused himself to be blind
ii. “I cannot be the killer. One can’t equal many.” [Oedipus is
both a father and brother, son and husband, etc.]
iii. Quote mother
3. Themes of the entire play:
A. Don’t envy the powerful - they may have it worse
B. Fate/pre-destination; can’t mess with fate/gods; *can’t escape fate*
C. gods do good and evil
D. Correlation between pride and ignorance
E. knowing future causing paranoia and problems
F. Faults of human wisdom
G. everyone has troubles
H. Everything has consequences
*Don’t forget the journal: “How does Oedipus fit the criteria of a tragic
hero?”
*Page 1343 in the nice-thick literature book has questions based on each
section, I tried to make sure I answered each one but I suggest you look
over them.
*Feel free to call (263-1740) if you have questions, I am more than happy
to explain anything!
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Photo courtesy of http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/LX/Images/TheaterTerms.jpg
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