Group 4

CLASSICAL TRAGEDY

Submitted for Drama

Lecturer :
Irawansyah,M.Pd.

Made By :

1. Anggraeni Dwi Ningrum 1911040018

2. Anggun Safitri 1911040264
3. Nely Nurcahyani 1911040422
4. Nihmatun Halifah 1911040148
Major/Class/Smt English Edc/D/5

ENGLISH EDUCATION ON STUDY PROGRAM

FACULTY OF TARBIYAH AND TEACHER TRAINING

ISLAMIC STATE UNIVERSITY OF RADEN INTAN LAMPUNG

2021
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 PREFARACE

Praise be to thank God that we pray the almighty God, because with all his power we
can finally compile a paper entitled “Classical Tragedy” according to the predermined time.
We would like to express our gratitude to Mr. Irawansyah, M.Pd. as the supervisor who has
provided a lot of input and suggestions that were very useful in the process of completing this
paper. We also express our gratitude to all those who have participated in helping to
contribute their thoughs that we cannot mention one by one.

This paper was created to fulfill the assignment of the Drama subject, we sincerely
hope that this paper will provide ,any benefits to readers. Finally, we really hope for input
criticism and suggestions from all parties so that this paper can be more perfect.

Bandar Lampung, 9 Nov, 2021

Author

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 TABLE OF CONTENT

PREFACE ....................................................................................................... ii
TABLE OF CONTENT ................................................................................ iii

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

A. Background ................................................................................................. 1

B. Research Questions ..................................................................................... 1

CHAPTER II DISCUSSION

A.Definition of Classical Tragedy ................................................................... 2

B.Elements in Classical Tragedy ..................................................................... 3

C.Characteristics of Classical Tragedy ............................................................ 4

D.Structure in Classical Tragedy ..................................................................... 6

CHAPTER III CLOSING

A. Conclusion .................................................................................................. 9

B. Suggest ........................................................................................................ 9

REFERENCES

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 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background
Tragedy is a drama in which the main character not only suffers a loss but also attains
enlightenment or a new perspective. It is considered the highest form of literature because it
concentrates emphatically on the religious and cosmic implications of the misfortunes of its
main characters. In ancient Greece, it originated as a key element in Athenian religious
festivals for decades before Athens became a major military, economic, and cultural power
during the fifth century BC. The tragedy was originally associated with the dithyrambs
chorus. With that in mind, it's important to emphasize the tragedy, and therefore the play
began as a form for the choir, not for the actors. Even after actors became dominant in plays,
the chorus was important enough for Aristotle to state that "the choir should be considered
one of the actors" (Poetics 7, p.69)
The subject of the tragedy is taken from the stories of prehistoric times. Greek myth
describes the divine-human relationship and is an example or model of heroic behavior.
These myths are the subject of tragic constants. Mythical heroes are kings, queens, princes
and princesses. They are involved in conflict; they suffer; and, oftentimes, they die. Although
majestic and noble, they are still human, and a common critical assessment is that they are
dominated by arrogance (hybrid): arrogance, contempt, violence, which is manifested in
destructive actions such as deception, betrayal, revenge, cruelty, murder , murder self, etc. By
frankly pointing out the faults of these heroes and their greatness, the tragedy writers also
raise philosophical and religious issues that provide meaning and value in the face of
adversity and suffering.

B. Research Questions
1. What is the definition of classical tragedy?
2. What are the elements in a classical tragedy?
3. What are the characteristics of a classical tragedy?
4. What is the structure in classical tragedy?

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 CHAPTER II
DISCUSSION

A. Definition of Classical Tragedy

Tragedy is a dramatic genre that normally involves death. It originated in ancient
Greece. Classic tragedies focus on one time, one set, and one story, in which one royal or
powerful character loses. A classical tragedy is the story of a hero (or heroine) who
experiences a reversal of fortune set in motion by the gods as a result of hubris. Oedipus is
one example of a classical tragedy. The protagonist of classical tragedies is typically from a
royal or noble family. Antigone, Oedipus, and Agamemnon are some examples of
protagonists in classical tragedies. These brave and noble heroes often face a reversal of
fortune. This reversal is typically due to a tragic flaw in the character and the influence of a
divine power. Fate also plays a major role in classical tragedies.
Some examples of classical tragedies include Oedipus Rex, Romeo and Juliet,
Hamlet, Medea, Antigone and Prometheus Bound. The famous Greek philosopher Aristotle
first outlined the characteristics of a classical tragedy. The primary elements of classical
tragedy are a hero (or heroine) with hubris, the involvement of the gods, a reversal or fall,
acknowledgment of error, and a period of suffering.

The Nature Of Classical Tragedy :

1. Classical tragedies typically have one main character.
2. Protagonist is typically from a wealthy, noble or royal family.
3. The protagonist is usually a noble and heroic character, but has a tragic flaw.
4. Classical tragedies have one unified plot.
5. Classical tragedies have one time span.
6. The story is about nobility or royalty, their ambitions, attempts to unify or save a
kingdom, etc.
7. Classical tragedies typically contain elements such as hubris, hamartia, and catharsis.
8. Fate and divine power are important elements in classical tragedies.

A Historical

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 Unfortunately, few works of the ancient Greek literature survive but they remain
important due to their supreme quality and impact upon later literary works. In recent years, a
large number of writers of the western literature and of American as well, inspired by the
ancient Greek stories, produced their works according to the forms that were originally Greek
in the light of contemporary thought. The ancient Greek literature falls into three periods; the
early or pre classical literature (to the end of the sixth century BC); the Attic classical
literature (the fifth and the fourth centuries BC); and the decadent or Hellenistic and Greco-
Roman literature (the third century BC onward). (“Greek Literature”) The early period begins
with Homer when epic poetry flourished which was intended to be sung and recited. Its
subject was the myth that was a mixture of historical events and primitive religious
speculation. Thereupon, the Iliad and the Odyssey are considered the beginning of Greek
literature, as well as the base of later tragedies that depend on religious rites. Inspired by the
poetry of Homer, during the Attic period, poetry became the chief medium of the literary art.
The name Attic came from the dialect used by the Ionian who were distinguished and gifted
among other two races of the ancient Greek: the Aeolian and the Dorian. (Gupta 1980 3) The
Attic presented the most three notable figures of the classical tragedy namely: Aeschylus
(525-456 BC), Sophocles (496-406 BC) and Euripides (480-406 BC). The third period started
when Greece subjected to Rome. At that time, “Greek writers were conscious of belonging to
a world of which Rome was the centre. (“Greek Literature”)

Tragedy, as a branch of drama, began in Greece during the fifth century B.C. “As Leech
refers to Allardyce Nicoll’s World Drama who says that Egypt may have provided an
example (of tragedy) in the second or third millennium B.C., but the earliest texts are from
Athens.” (Leech 2002 12) This concept is used to describe any sort of disaster or misfortune,
it more precisely refers to a work of art that examines seriously questions concerning the role
of man in the universe. The ancient Attic playwrights first used the word to describe a
specific kind of play, which was presented at festivals in Greece. The word tragedy is derived
from Greek ‘tragoidia’ which is often translated into English as a ‘goat-song’. It may be
interpreted in several ways: a goat was sacrificed when the dithyrambs were sung; a goat
might be the prize for the best song; or the goat was the symbol of Dionysus. (Jones 1962 68)
Sponsored and directed by the local governments of about three or four days, these plays
were attended by the entire community. (Wallace 2007 10) The atmosphere was more like
that of a religious ceremony than entertainment. There were altars to the gods and the
subjects of the tragedies were the misfortunes of the heroes of legends, religious myth and

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history. C.E. Vaughan’s words can be best considered to give an image of the Attic theatre:
“The eyes of all fixed upon a stage and beneath it altar round which the chorus either stands,
or moves in stately measures, doing honour to Dionysus (the god of poetry, wine, ecstatic
excitement and fertility), taking part in the dramatic movement of the tragedy, invoking
divine and human justice upon the deeds or words of those destinies are at stake before the
eye.” (Gupta 1980 67) On his side, Martin P. Nilsson points out that the form and style of
ancient Greek tragedy was dictated by its ritual origins and performance in great dramatic
competitions of the spring and winter religious festivals of Dionysus.( Nilsson 1940 23-42)
Rebecca Bushnell states that tragedy is a “structure marks tragedy’s relationship to older
forms of ritual choral song, and especially the dithyramb, a choral hymn in honour of
Dionysus that sung by fifty men or boys.” (Bushnell 2008 34) In the first half of the sixth
century B.C., the poet Arion had tried to organize the rites into a form of order and system.
The dithyramb was transformed form impromptu song or crud improvisation into a full
choice hymn with musical gestures. (Bowra 1945 76) Arion also “fixed the number of the
dancers and singers at fifty and introduced some spoken verses amidst the choral odes.”
(Gupta 1980 70) The dithyramb continued and its range was widened. The subjects chosen
were not only from the legends of Dionysus but also from the rich Greek mythology. The
pioneer in this phase was Thespis (the father of Greek tragedy) who was born in the sixth
century in Icaria which was an important centre of the worship of Dionysus. Thespis’ greatest
innovation was the introduction of dialogue between the chorus and a single actor who was
different from the leader or conductor of the chorus. (Barker 2009 14) The actor played the
roles of gods and kings with different masks. It was then a drama of action not narration for
the first time in the history of drama. The masks, as Macgowan and Melnitz remark, are
survival of the old religious services in which the human being must not be himself, but
change his face and take the mask of a hero or a god. (Macgowan and Melnitz 1955 33) The
masks on which a fixed expression is painted or curved are used to fix the dominating trait of
any character in the mind of the audience.

Tragedy became more and more popular, and number of tragic playwrights submitted
a number of plays at the annual exhibition. Choerilus, Pratinas and Phrynichus stood among
those who followed the steps of Thespis but with no remarkable contributions. It was the
appearance of Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides that Greek tragedy became immortal
works of arts. Thespis, as we have already mentioned, introduced the first actor. Aeschylus
added a second and Sophocles a third. The tragic plays that were presented during the first

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half of the fifth century B.C. were elaborate and complicated works of art. They combined
within many variegated elements like rhythm in spoken or recited poetry, vivid action and
brilliant colour. There was also music that accompanied the choral odes. In this sense
Rebecca Bushnell states “the structure of Greek tragedy is thus a powerful instrument,
capable of manipulating mood, creating tension and modulating between intense personal
action and lyric introspection.” (Bushnell 2008 35)

In Aeschylus’ The Oresteia (458 B.C.), Sophocles’ Antigone (442 B.C.) and Oedipus,
the King (430 B.C.) the action of the drama and the moral experience of the character are
wholly united to the metric form. Hence, Greek tragedy is sung, danced and declaimed; prose
has no place in it. (Steiner 1961 239) The tragic Greek playwrights made full use of these
theatrical devices in their plays in addition to the rich Greek literary and dramatic tradition
which is the epic that we know chiefly through Homer’s masterpieces the Iliad and the
Odysseus. Werner Jaeger points out that “tragedy owes both its traditional material and
ethical educational spirit to Homeric epic, not to its own Dionysius origin.” (Jaeger 1965 43)
Aeschylus himself asserts that his plays were all “slices from the banquet of Homer.”
(Raphael 1966 76)

Aeschylus’ The Suppliant Woman represents in all essentials, as Kitto points out, is a
“single actor drama up to the point when Danaus is able to do something useful by going into
Argos to ask for help of its king, Pelasgus.” This drama is considered close to the form of its
origin the dithyramb, because the action is kept to the minimum and the chorus, the daughters
of Danaus, became a collective protagonist. Pelasgus is the only dramatic force that stands in
opposition to the chorus. He has to decide between two equally decisive and at the same time
dangerous courses of actions; either to forsake the suppliant women, thus incurring the wrath
of gods or to fight the Egyptian suitors who came in pursuance of the women. Nevertheless,
at the hand of Aeschylus, we came to that form of Greek drama whose outward mark is the
use of two actors and the chorus. It seems that Aeschylus has no intention of using the second
actor as antagonist to the first one, thereby turning the tragedy into a contest between the two
as is the case in the Sophoclean tragedy. This comes only after the appearance of the third
actor and is quite foreign to the tragic thinking of Aeschylus. As a matter of fact, the essence
of old or Aeschylus tragedy was the solitary hero facing his own destiny or playing out an
inner drama of his own soul, like Pelasgus in The Suppliant Women. It was the insertion of
the second actor that enables the plot to move in action as well as in tension. Instead of
watching Pelasgus caught inextricably in his tragic dilemma, the spectators will watch the

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interaction between the moving situation and the hero. In Seven against Thebes (467 B.C.)
there is no sudden pit opening beneath Eteocles, but a horror growing gradually before the
audience as he is offered the chance to think carefully before making up his mind. This
means that, unlike the almost undifferentiated Man who was the hero of the pure lyrical
tragedy, the moving plot of the Aeschylus tragedy was designed to display and test moral
character, and to give room for moral choice and its outcomes. (Kitto 1966 32 ff)

The tragic situation in the plays of Sophocles represents an interlocking of certain

complex circumstances and personalities, which eventually make a pattern that cannot be
avoided. Moreover, the Sophoclean tragic hero is complex, not in a single minded man; he
must be seen from more than point of view. Hence, the insertion of the third actor is to
illuminate the character from several points of view. This technical innovation, as Kitto
remarks, brought with it “a high degree of naturalism, more detailed character drawing and
more skilful use of dialogue.” (Kitto 1964 207) Oedipus, as a tragic hero, is better
understood if one watches how he treats and behaves a group of people and how these people
in return treat him. This way of handling the tragic plays, became later on the bases for the
western and American drama as well.

B. Elements in a Classical Tragedy

1. Hamartia
An offense committed in ignorance of some material fact; a great mistake made as a
result of an error by a morally good person.

2. Tragic flaw
A fatal weakness or moral flaw in the protagonist that brings him or her to a bad end.
Sometimes offered as an alternative understanding of hamartia, in contrast to the idea that the
tragic hero's catastrophe is caused by an error in judgment.

3. Hubris
Overweening pride, outrageous behavior, or the insolence that leads to ruin, the
antithesis of moderation or rectitude.

4. Peripeteia

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 A reversal of fortune, a sudden change of circumstance affecting the protagonist.
According to Aristotle, the play's peripety occurs when a certain result is expected and
instead its opposite effect is produced. In a tragedy, the reversal takes the protagonist from
good fortune to catastrophe.

5. Recognition
In tragic plotting, the moment of recognition occurs when ignorance gives way to
knowledge, illusion to disillusion.

6. Catharsis
The feeling of emotional release or calm the spectator feels at the end of tragedy. The
term is drawn from Aristotle's definition of tragedy, relating to the final cause or purpose of
tragic art. Some feel that through catharsis, drama taught the audience compassion for the
vulnerabilities of others and schooled it in justice and other civic virtues.
C. Characteristics of a Classical Tragedy

D. Structure in Classical Tragedy

One of the most dominating theories of structure is that which classically pertained to
tragedies, because a tragedy deals with conflict, ancient critics thought of the plays as tying
and untying knots. Most of the effort of the play will go into the tying aspect, for we usually
work up toward a knot (catastrophe) for a considerably longer time than we work down from
it. In any case, the view of tragedy has frequently and consistently taken a dividing approach
which separates the event of the play into four large categories: (1) rising action,(2) climax
(turning point),(3) falling action, and (4) catastrophe.

1. Rising Action
Rising action is the entire first part of the play in which the forces creating conflict are
delineated, enlarged, and prepared for some disaster. Preceding the rising action there is often
what simply call introduction or exposition, a short section directly in the beginning in which
we are made acquainted with certain facts, usually pertaining to event which have occurred
before the beginning of the time of the play. We speak generally then of the exciting action,
that is, the few events or idea which excite the play into motion. For example. a certain
character is stirred up when he hears a report that his close friend or relative has been
murdered. When such a character vows revenge we have reached a major turning point in the
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play, the climax, for the forces engaging the hero have led him into a decision to further
action, action out of ordinary, etc. The rising action is generally similar to a building wave
which we know will reach a peak and prepare to crash on shore. It usually carries the hero
through a series of events which enlarge and intensify his conflict. We often find ourselves
wondering how long the hero will be able to endure his oppression before he decides to
retaliate in one way or another. The competing forces become more and more antagonistic
and we sense that the hero is caught or being crushed between them.

2. Climax
The first major pause in the play occurs when the hero makes a decision or makes
some all-important discoveries about either himself or someone else in the play. The act
which interrupts everything else that is happening is always referred to as the climax. This is
the end of rising action, for it constitutes a major turning point in the play. We are now
moving suddenly in a very different direction, often because the hero has some new
knowledge or determination.

3. Falling Action
The falling action follows the climax and usually presents the ways in which the hero
is slowly overpowered and becomes increasingly helpless. We see him as a representative of
man bound up in a fate which he is powerless to master. The falling action does not usually
last as long as the rising action. Because there is inevitably such intense emotion in the falling
action, the playwright often provides comic relief.

4. Catastrophe
The catastrophe is the main action of the play which is often related to death, usually
the death of the hero, heroine or (both, as in Othello). The catastrophe is the one event in the
play toward which everything else has been working, either directly or indirectly. The
catastrophe, though depressing and usually unpleasant satisfies because it fulfills the
audience‘s expectations The catastrophe is almost always the logical result of the rising and
falling action: the catastrophe is the death which the audience has expected for a long time
Sometimes there is a Final pause of suspense in which it appears momentarily that the final
death will not arrive, but then the death does arrive and the pause has rendered it both
exciting and logical. Often there is a very short detailed section of the play following the

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catastrophe. The playwright merely pulls together the few loose threads of the story so that
the audience understands what will become of the surviving characters
The five-part dramatic structure of exposition, rising action, climax, falling action,
and catastrophe rarely coincides with the five acts of most plays. Often the climax, for
example, does not arrive until the fourth act, which the exposition rarely takes up more time
than the first scene and almost never occupies us for the entire first act. In any case most
plays--and not only tragedies--have the integral part which we have outlined. This can well
be seen if we consider some examples, dividing the actions of well-known plays into the
conventional categories.

CHAPTER III
CLOSING

A. Conclusion
B. Suggest

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REFERENCES

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