PIB English I
GREEK TRAGEDY
Pollard/Wheeler/Davies/ Jones
from Aristotle’s POETICS
THE THREE UNITIES – Aristotle called for three essential
elements to unify a tragedy
1. Time – one day (the actual plot enacted covers no more
than a twenty-four hour period)
*previous events (exposition) my be referred to, but
are not actually performed in the play.
2. Place – one setting where the action is performed
*references can be made to other sites, but all of
the action of the play should be in one place.
3. Action— story should revolve around one primary plot
Aristotle’s Theory of Tragedy
pp.472 – Tragedy is “ …an imitation of an action that is serious,
complete, possessing magnitude; in embellished
language . . . in the mode of action and
not narrated; and effecting through pity
and fear, a catharsis”
The Tragic Hero
1. a noble hero or heroine – essentially of good character.
*neither a paragon of virtue nor completely wicked
2. tragic flaw or mistake
hamartia – an “error in judgment” ; a mistake
hubris-- the character flaw of PRIDE –a combination
of a the hero’s desire to achieve power or a
goal with an arrogance, a haughtiness that
compromises
reason and the warnings of the gods.
PIB English I
GREEK TRAGEDY
Pollard/Wheeler/Davies/ Jones
Tragic Structure of the Plot
1. “Reversal” or reversal of fortune -- the peripeteia (peripety)
2. “Recognition” – the anagnorisis (the “knowing”) moment – the
Change from ignorance to awareness
3. “Suffering” – the pathos -- the element of a destructive or
painful act causing the viewer to sympathize or empathize
with the hero.
4. Audience response of catharsis – the mixture of pity and fear,
an emotional purging.
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Oedipus the King
Oedipus at Colonus
Antigone
Oedipus – King of Thebes
Jocasta – Oedipus’ wife
Creon – Oedipus’ brother-in-law – brother of Jocasta
Laius – Former king of Thebes and husband of Jocasta, father of Oedipus
Antigone – Oedipus’ daughter
Ismene – Oedipus’ daughter
Eteocles – Oedipus’ son
Polyneices - Oedipus' son
Oedipus at Colonus – Play about Oedipus, after he is banished to Colonus.
Antigone – Play about the time after the Thebes’ war after both brothers have
been killed in civil war. Creon declares that Eteocles will be honored and
Polyneices disgraced and not buried properly. Antigone buries him and is
imprisoned and kills herself.
Cadmus – Founder of Thebes whose sin against Apollo caused his descendants
to be cursed. Cadmus killed the god’s favorite snake.
PIB English I
GREEK TRAGEDY
Pollard/Wheeler/Davies/ Jones