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Background to Greek Tragedy AP English Language and Composition Mr. Eugene What is Tragedy? Drama: A mimetic art form Tragedy, then, is an imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude; in language embellished with each kind of artistic ornament, the several kinds being found in separate parts of the play; in the form of action, not of narrative; through pity and fear effecting the proper purgation of these emotions. -- Aristotle, from Book VI of the Poetics ► Imitation Analysis of definition: 1. Based on _____________ of action that is _____________, _____________, and ______________ 2. Uses ________________ language 3. Presented in _________________ form 4. Effects _________________, through experience of _______________ and _________________ in audience History of Greek Tragedy: The roots of dramatic performance History of Greek Tragedy: The Introduction of Dialogue ► Greek ► Thespis drama was originally in ___________ form and for ________________ purposes ► Religious dances were called __________________, or goat songs ! _______________ dances of abandonment ending in _______________ of animal, usually a goat ► Drama transitioned from religious practice to _____________ in the ______ century BCE (a director of a famous chorus) ! Known as the first __________________ ! Stood on the sacrificial table and addressed _________________________________ ► Aeschylus ! ! ! ! (the Father of Tragedy) Introduced second ________________ Diminished the importance of _______________ Made ___________________ the body of the drama Made actors as impressive as possible by developing ____________________ and _____________________ of action is not a superficial pursuit, but one grounded in the _____________ human need to exercise the _____________ capacity of the mind on the external world. ► Mimesis often involved ______________ and the wearing of ________________ ► Mimesis aims at ________________ and ________________ ► Consider these examples of artistic mimesis: ! ! ! ! Cave painting Hopi rain dance Medieval joust What others can you think of? Sophocles: The happy playwright ► Introduced _________________________, _______________________, and the play within a trilogy as an ______________________ entity ► Raised number of chorus from ____________ ► First tragedian to use ________________ music ► Modified purpose of chorus: ! ! ! ! ! Represented the ____________________________ Set the mood for ___________________________ Follow the dramatic action closely React to the dramatic action __________________ Separate _________________________, creating rhythmic flow of ______________________ and ________________________ Euripedes ► About a dozen years younger than Sophocles a wealthy family; able to devote himself to drama ► Produced blends of dramatic forms, especially tragic-comedy ► Continued innovations in music as lyrics become less important resulting in: ► From ! Loose syntax ! Polysyllabic vagueness ► Nondramatic prologue orients viewer to the point in the myth at which action is to begin Elements of Greek Tragedy: Action, Perception, and its Outcome ► Internal: Tragic protagonist comes to understand 1. ____________________________________________ 2. ____________________________________________ 3. ____________________________________________ ► External: Emotional tension increases to a breaking point, arousing ___________________ _______________________ until, at moment of reversal, audience experiences ______________ Elements of Greek Tragedy: Plot is the Soul of Tragedy ► ► ► Action moves through ____________________ to ______________, resulting in _______________ Purpose of plot is to stage a _______________ working out of a single ________________ Plot must observe three unities: 1. ____________________________________________ 2. ____________________________________________ 3. ____________________________________________ ► ► Plot was seldom invented; usually based on known myths Subject is downfall of _______________ figure resulting in his ______________ or ____________ Audience, religious rite, and the primitive psyche ► Audience ________________ experiences tragic emotions in ________________ ► Conclusion of tragedy _________________ these emotions from the psyche ► Dramatic form, in this sense, merges _____________ and ______________ rite ► Dramatic art form is thus both inspired by and intended to inspire ________________ (see handout on Jung) of _______________ Elements of Greek Tragedy: Plot and the emergence of perception ► Action of the play reveals how man is brought to _________________ by a single ________________, or flaw in his character ► Perception emerges in the moment of _____________________, reversal of action ► Reversal occurs simultaneously with the moment of ______________________, or recognition of the truth, producing a change from ______________ to ______________