Greek Tragedy Overview

A play with a serious and dignified tone, typically featuring a protagonist facing a powerful force, leading to a sad or disastrous outcome.

A genre of Greek drama that depicts the fall of a noble character, often due to a tragic flaw, resulting in misfortune.

The main character in a tragedy, often a person of high stature who makes flawed choices leading to their downfall.

A character flaw, often a weakness or pride, that contributes to the tragic hero's downfall.

A song or poem traditionally performed by a chorus in Greek tragedies.

An annual festival in Athens, Greece, that included theatrical competitions featuring tragedies.

A group of three tragedies submitted by a playwright to compete at the City Dionysia.

A short, comedic play, often a burlesque, performed at the City Dionysia after a trilogy of tragedies.

The mythical creatures associated with Dionysus, often depicted as human-like figures with animal features.

The literal translation of the Greek word 'tragoidia,' meaning 'goat song.'

The origins of tragedy are found in choral performances of poetry, with Thespis being credited with adding an actor to the chorus in the 530s BC.

The fifth century BC witnessed a cultural flourishing in Athens, with advancements in literature, science, philosophy, and architecture, including the iconic Parthenon.

The Greek victory over the Persians in the 5th century BC contributed to their self-image and solidified Athens' leadership in Greece.

The 5th century BC, a time of significant growth and decline for Athens, is marked by the Persian Wars, which Athens won, and the Peloponnesian War, which Athens lost.

Aristotle, a prominent philosopher, studied tragedy in the 330s BC, emphasizing its serious nature, but not necessarily sadness.

The term 'tragoidea' is of unclear origin, with two prominent theories: one linking it to a goat prize for winning tragedians and the other relating it to the sound of boys' voices in the chorus.

Ancient tragedies, despite the term, did not necessarily involve sad or disastrous subjects, as long as the plot remained serious.

Tragedy, as a dramatic form, flourished in ancient Athens, along with other cultural developments, marking the city's cultural prominence.

Ancient Greek tragedies were regularly performed at the Dionysia, a city festival honoring the god Dionysus.

Ancient tragedies were not always sad or disastrous, but required serious plots, as emphasized by Aristotle.

Ancient Greek city-state that led the Delian League, a maritime alliance that eventually became an Athenian empire, causing tensions with other city-states.

A war between Athens and its allies, led by Pericles, against Sparta and its allies, resulting in the defeat of Athens.

The first extant Greek tragedy dates to 472 BC, with the final one written in 406 BC, highlighting the significance of the 5th century BC in Greek tragedy.

Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides.

Aeschylus, one of the three great tragedians, wrote 82 known works, but only seven survived, including 'Prometheus Bound', whose authorship is debated.

Sophocles, one of the three great tragedians, wrote 123 known plays, but only seven survive. He is known for his dramatic structure.

Euripides, one of the three great tragedians, wrote around 92 plays, with 17 or 18 surviving, including the satyr play 'Cyclops'. His work often reflected the social and political issues of his time.

Over 1,000 tragedies were written in the 5th century BC, but only 32 have survived, of which approximately 3% are from Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides.

The execution of Socrates in 399 BC, marking the beginning of the 4th century BC, is considered the end of Athens' golden age of cultural development and innovation.

The concept of the 5th century BC as a distinct unit of time was not recognized by the Athenians, who used different methods of dating events.

The practice of examining the differences between early and later works by ancient Greek tragedians to understand their artistic development.

The Athenian victory over the Persians at the Battle of Salamis in 480 BC, a significant event in Greek history.

Aeschylus's tragedy 'The Persians' is an example of a play that uses recent history as its subject matter, focusing on this specific battle.

The use of invented plots in tragedies, pioneered by Agathon, though it was not widely adopted.

Greek tragedians primarily drew their subjects from traditional Greek mythology, using well-known stories as their foundation.

The audience's familiarity with the basic story allowed the playwright to introduce new elements and highlight specific themes based on the myth.

The belief that the events of Greek mythology were real historical occurrences, though taking place in the distant past.

Writing about contemporary events in Greek tragedy could potentially cause offense or anger within the audience.

The focus on family conflicts, particularly those involving prominent families in Greek mythology, and the resulting tragic consequences.

The dramatic and often violent destruction of families due to internal struggles and conflicts.