GREEK TRAGEDY
 The Greek theatre or Greek drama is a theatrical tradition
that flourished in ancient Greece between c. 550 and c. 220 BC.
 Athens, the political and military power in Greece during this
period, was the center of ancient Greek theatre.
 Greek theater and plays have had a lasting impact on Western
drama and culture.
DEFINITION
 A drama in which a character (usually a good and noble
person of high rank) is brought to a disastrous end in his or
her confrontation with a superior force (fortune, the gods,
social forces, universal values), but also comes to understand
the meaning of his or her deeds and to accept an appropriate
punishment.
SOPHOCLES
SOPHOCLES
(495 BC - 406 BC) was the second of three great
ancient Greek tragedians. He wrote 123 or more
plays during the course of his life.
Oedipus
Antigone
TRAGIC HERO
 The tragic hero is a man of noble stature. He is not an
ordinary man, but a man with outstanding quality and
greatness about him. His own destruction is for a greater cause
or principle.
 “noble stature/high rank” usually means a king, duke,
prince, company owner, etc.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A
TRAGIC HERO
According to Aristotle:
1.
Usually of noble birth
2.
Hamartia – a.k.a. the tragic flaw that eventually leads to
his downfall.
3.
Peripeteia – a reversal of fortune brought about by the
hero’s tragic flaw
4.
His actions result in an increase of self- awareness and
self-knowledge
5.
The audience must feel pity and fear for this character.
THE “TRAGIC FLAW”
The “flaw” in the character is a defect which keeps
him/her from being aware of the situation around
him/her. The character does not understand (for much
of the story) his/her part of creating the situation.
The tragic flaw leads to the downfall of the tragic hero
THE HERO’S
UNDERSTANDING
The tragic hero has a “moment of
enlightenment” near the end of the story.
• He/she finally understands what he/she has done
wrong—how he/she contributed to the tragic
situation.
• The story often ends with the death of the tragic
hero.
TERMS TO KNOW
 Hamartia- the hero’s flaw, error, or frailty
 Hubris- a characters exaggerated pride or self-confidence
 Catharsis- the spiritual plunge that is obtained when the
audience feels pity and terror/fear from what they see
happening on stage ( inspires viewer to lead a better life)
VIDEO CLIPS
 Greek Tragedy
 Tragedy