Greek drama originated as part of religious festivals in ancient Greece honoring Dionysus. Tragedies focused on examining the consequences of individual actions, humanity's relationship with the gods, and the role of fate. A tragic hero was a noble protagonist who made an error in judgment, or hamartia, which led to their downfall and death, providing catharsis for audiences. Common playwrights included Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides, who presented plays at the Festival of Dionysus that followed certain conventions and the three unities.

1. Aristotle defined tragedy as "the imitation of an
action that is serious and also, as having magnitude,
complete in itself."
Tragedy &
The Tragic Hero

2. Greek Drama
The origin of drama as we know it today
Greek plays were inspired by religion and myths
Thespis = lyric poet; introduced the use of a single actor on
stage in addition to the chorus. The word “thespian” comes
from his name.

4. Greek Drama
Festival of Dionysus = Greek religious festival; introduced
Drama competition
Aeschylus, Euripides, and Sophocles presented plays at the
festival of Dionysus
At festivals both tragedies and comedies were presented.
Comedies offered some relief from the tragedies (comic
relief)

5. Greek Drama examines…
The consequences of an individual’s actions
The relationship of the people to the gods
The role that fate plays in life

6. Tragedy
Wisdom comes alone through suffering.”
- Aeschylus
A form of drama where the protagonist comes to an unhappy
end.

7. The three unities of Greek drama
Unity of action: the action should be one story line that
maintains the interest of the audience
Unity of place: the action should be limited to a single
location
Unity of time: the time represented should be limited to at
most one single day

8. A tragic hero is:
Larger than life; seems invincible
Neither exceptionally virtuous or exceptionally evil
Often a lonely character
Set against a force that is often incomprehensible to him/her
Illustrates human smallness in relation to the universe

9. (cont.) A tragic hero is:
Nobler than the common citizen and is often of royal birth
Endowed with a tragic flaw, and doomed to make a serious
error in judgment because of this flaw
Will fall from high esteem
Will realize they have made an irreversible mistake

10. (cont.) A tragic hero is:
Will face death with honor
Will meet a tragic end/death
Inevitably destroyed because of some tragic flaw

11. Tragic Wheel
Hamartia
Tragic Flaw
Anagnorisis
Recognition
Peripeteia
Reversal
Catharsis
Purging of
Emotions
Tragic Hero
Tragic
Wheel

12. Hamartia
“Tragic flaw”
The hero is neither good nor evil, but rather very human
with a moral weakness or error
Hubris or “excessive pride” is a common hamartia.

13. Anagnorisis
“Recognition”
This is the moment of comprehension when our tragic hero
becomes aware of his hamartia.
Typically at this point the hero will attempt to rectify events
all to no avail.

14. Peripeteia
“The reversal from one state of affairs to its opposite”
This is the point at which the hero realizes all is lost.

15. Catharsis
“The purging of emotions by the audience.”
A good tragedy will evoke both pity and fear in the audience.
All of the destructive actions that take place at the close of
the drama lead to the release of this emotion.

16. Chorus
Group of 12-15 men who sing and dance in the orchestra
during the plays. They often represent the collective
community, but not necessarily the poet's thoughts. The
leader of the chorus was called the Choragus. This person
would often step forward to speak with the protagonist.

17. Organization of a Greek Tragedy
The basic structure of a Greek tragedy is fairly simple. After
a prologue spoken by one or more characters, the chorus
enters, singing and dancing. Scenes then alternate between
spoken sections (dialogue between characters, and between
characters and chorus) and sung sections (during which the
chorus danced). Here are the basic parts of a Greek Tragedy:

18. Conventions of a Greek Tragedy
All of the actors were men.
Plays were performed outdoors.
Playwrights usually directed and acted in their own plays.
Typically there were only three actors and the chorus. If
there were more than three characters the actors would
simply change masks.

19. Conventions of a Greek Tragedy (cont.)
The actors wore masks in order to: have their characters be
easily recognized by the audience, be heard by the audience
(they contained megaphones), and to play multiple roles.
Greek plays were performed as part of religious festivals in
honor of the god Dionysus, and unless later revived, were
performed only once.

20. Greek Masks

21. Conventions of a Greek Tragedy (cont.)
Tragedies almost exclusively dealt with stories from the
mythic past (there was no "contemporary" tragedy).
Plays were funded by the polis (the “city state”), and always
presented in competition with other plays, and were voted
either the first, second, or third (last) place.

22. Conventions of a Greek Tragedy (cont.)
Greek tragedies examined:
the consequences of an individual’s actions.
the relationship of people to the gods.
the role fate plays in life.

23. Sophocles (496-406 BC)
Sophocles lived during the Classical Period in Athens,
Greece (5th
century B.C.)
classical period = a time of great political and cultural
achievement; a renaissance of sorts
Sophocles was loved by the people of Greece; held political
positions in addition to writing great dramas

24. Sophocles (496-406 BC)
Sophocles demonstrates great insight into human suffering
Sophocles’ writing explores
the struggle for self-knowledge.
the conflict between personal and social values.
Only seven of Sophocles’ 123 plays survive today.

25. 3 Facts 1 Visual
The Parthenon
The Acropolis
The Theater of Dionysus
The Oracle of Delphi
Dionysus
Aeschylus
Sophocles
Euripides
Thespis
Aristotle
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