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    Greek Terms Associated With Tragedy

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    Jerald Sagaya Nathan
    The document defines and provides examples of several key Greek terms associated with tragedy: 1) Anagnorisis refers to the protagonist realizing their true nature and destiny, such as Hamlet's realization of fate. 2) Bathos produces an unintended ridiculous effect while pathos induces pity. 3) Catharsis refers to Aristotle's view of tragedy providing a healing release of emotions. 4) The chorus commented on the plot and expressed social attitudes, like Horatio in Hamlet.

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    Greek Terms Associated With Tragedy

    Uploaded by

    Jerald Sagaya Nathan
    40 views2 pages
    The document defines and provides examples of several key Greek terms associated with tragedy: 1) Anagnorisis refers to the protagonist realizing their true nature and destiny, such as Hamlet's realization of fate. 2) Bathos produces an unintended ridiculous effect while pathos induces pity. 3) Catharsis refers to Aristotle's view of tragedy providing a healing release of emotions. 4) The chorus commented on the plot and expressed social attitudes, like Horatio in Hamlet.

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    The document defines and provides examples of several key Greek terms associated with tragedy: 1) Anagnorisis refers to the protagonist realizing their true nature and destiny, such as Hamlet's realization of fate. 2) Bathos produces an unintended ridiculous effect while pathos induces pity. 3) Catharsis refers to Aristotle's view of tragedy providing a healing release of emotions. 4) The chorus commented on the plot and expressed social attitudes, like Horatio in Hamlet.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    40 views2 pages

    Greek Terms Associated With Tragedy

    Uploaded by

    Jerald Sagaya Nathan
    The document defines and provides examples of several key Greek terms associated with tragedy: 1) Anagnorisis refers to the protagonist realizing their true nature and destiny, such as Hamlet's realization of fate. 2) Bathos produces an unintended ridiculous effect while pathos induces pity. 3) Catharsis refers to Aristotle's view of tragedy providing a healing release of emotions. 4) The chorus commented on the plot and expressed social attitudes, like Horatio in Hamlet.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
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    Greek Terms Associated with Tragedy

    Anagnorisis
    Often the protagonists in tragedy undergo a process of recognition, in which they see their own
    nature, and destiny, more clearly than before.

    Hamlet has a moment just before the final duel when he realizes that "There is special providence in
    the fall of a sparrow . . . The readiness [for death] is all" (5.2.231,34).

    Bathos and pathos


    They sound related, but their effect is almost opposite.

    Bathos--"depth"--is often unintended by the author. Straining for an elevated or heightened effect,
    the writer overshoots the mark and produces an effect that is perceived as ridiculous.

    Pathos--"pity"--a term often used because the English word tends to imply mere tear- jerking for
    effect.

    Catharsis
    Exactly what Aristotle meant by "purgation" or "catharsis" has been the subject of much discussion,
    but in essence he was concerned to explain the release of powerful, healing emotions that make
    tragedy so moving.

    The chorus
    In Greek tragedy the chorus was a group of actors, usually concerned citizens, who were the main
    commentators on the characters and events; they expressed traditional moral, religious, and social
    attitudes, and were a kind of voice for the audience on stage. Some individual characters in
    Shakespeare can be seen as fulfilling the role of the chorus-- Horatio, in Hamlet is one, Kent, in Lear,
    perhaps another (though Kent does become involved directly in the action).

    Empathy and sympathy


    Empathy--"feeling-into"--is a projection of oneself into another character; an identification in which
    one seems to participate in the actions and feelings of the other.

    Sympathy--"feeling-with"--is a little more detached, a fellow-feeling for the other; as when two
    strings are tuned to the same note, one will vibrate in sympathy if the other is sounded. The word has
    become somewhat reduced in meaning in recent years to something more like mere pity.

    Hamartia
    The protagonist most often contributes to his or her own downfall by a mismatch betwen character
    and circumstances, or hamartia. Interestingly enough, the translation of hamartia as "flaw" may in
    fact itself be flawed. There is some evidence that suggests that it rather means any quality in excess--
    perhaps even a virtue--that brings about the fall of the protagonist.

    Hamlet, with his university education, may be thinking of hamartia when he muses:

    . . . oft it chances in particular men


    That for some vicious mole of nature in them,
    As in their birth, wherein they are not guilty,
    (Since nature cannot choose his origin)
    By the o'ergrowth of some complexion,
    Oft breaking down the pales and forts of reason,
    . . . Their virtues else, be they as pure as grace,
    As infinite as man may undergo,
    Shall in the general censure [popular opinion] take corruption
    From that particular fault.
    (Hamlet, 1. 4. 23-36)

    The term "complexion" refers to quality of personality, as in the mixture of humours.

    Hubris
    Frequently an Oedipus, an Antigone, a Macbeth, a Lear, or a Cleopatra is brought to doom by
    excessive pride--hubris--a belief that he or she is somehow above the fates, or in control of destiny.

    Nuntius
    The nuntius, or messenger, was an actor who narrated action that occurred offstage--a dramatic
    convention made necessary by the requirements of the "unities" of time and place, and the tradition
    that no violent action took place on the stage itself.

    The illustration here is a mosaic of the Roman god Mercury, messenger of the gods.

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