What is the Greek tragedy?

Greek tragedy

What is the Greek tragedy?

The Greek tragedy is a dramatic genre created in Ancient Greece, whose arguments revolve around the fatality of destiny designated by the gods. In this sense, it is born from the hand of classical mythology.

According to the Poetics of Aristotle, Greek tragedy is based on two principles of dramatic art: mimesis and catharsis. Mimesis refers to the imitation of nature, in this case, the imitation of a noble action. Catharsis refers to a personal purification.

Characteristics of the Greek tragedy

greek theater Ancient masks for the representation of the Greek tragedy.

Among the main characteristics of the Greek tragedy we can consider those that refer to its function, structure, characters and themes.

Dramatic function

The Greek tragedy aims to move fear and compassion, fundamental elements to achieve catharsis. Hence, the outcome always involves the fall of the hero.

Topics

The central theme of the Greek tragedy is the fatality of destiny, the announcement of which awakens the conflict in the characters.

Characters

Individual characters : these are usually characters who enjoy social recognition and, therefore, set themselves up as models: heroes, nobles or demigods.
Chorus : a sort of collective character that acts as conductor and sanctioner of the story through songs. It usually expresses the point of view of the poet.

External structure

When we speak of external structure, we refer to the way in which the discourse is organized and presented to the reader or viewer, that is, it is the visible scaffolding. As a general rule, the Greek tragedy has the following structure:

Prologue : explains the background of the argument.
Párodos : it is the entrance of the choir that begins the development of the action.
Episodes : each of the dramatic passages where the dialogues take place.
We are : it refers properly to the songs of the choir, intended to guide the audience's reflection, either by sanctioning the actions, or by explaining the author's moral, political, philosophical or religious principles.
Exodus : refers to the conclusion of the conflict, where the fulfillment of the sentence or punishment takes place. In this the choir intervenes with a final song.

Internal structure

The internal structure refers to the order in which the story is conceived within the story, and which gives it dramatic tension. As is typical of the classic concept of narration, tragedy has a beginning, a middle and an end.

Start : presentation of the situation.
Knot : climatic facts.
The outcome , divided into two parts: vicissitudes , which is the hero's fall from grace, and anagnorisis , the moment when the character becomes aware of his fate through reflection.

Social function

The Greek tragedy served an important function in antiquity: on the one hand, representing the main concerns of the time; on the other, educate the people in the values that guided society. In other words, promoting order and the fulfillment of duty.

Representation mode

In Ancient Greek times, the characteristics of representation were different from today. Let's see.

The works were performed in an amphitheater.
For the scenography mechanical devices were used such as: the periaktoi or rotating prism; the eccyclema , a kind of rolling platform, and the mechane , a pulley mechanism that allows the gods to enter.
All the actors were men.
The costume was composed of a chiton or long tunic; short coat of bright colors; soled shoes called coturno and oncos , a headdress for the protagonist's use.
The characters were assigned colorful, large and expressive masks, allowing one actor to act out multiple characters.

Origin of the Greek tragedy

It is believed that the tragedy may have originated in the 6th century BC. It is possible that it was related to sacrificial rituals for agriculture and hunting, in which an animal, usually a male goat, was sacrificed.

Indeed, the etymological origin of the word tragedy, a loan from the Latin tragoedia , seems to result from two Greek terms: tragos , which means 'male goat', and ádein , which means 'to sing'. Hence its use as a song or heroic drama.

It is also thought that the tragedy could have to do with the dithyramb, a type of poetic composition that was performed at festivals in honor of the god Dionysus.

Authors and works

The main known representatives of Greek tragedy were Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides.

Aeschylus (ca. 525 - ca. 455 BC)

Aeschylus is considered the first great Greek playwright. He was a participant in the victory of the Greeks against the Persians, which is why his work The Persians quickly earned him fame. He wrote nearly a hundred tragedies, but only a few have survived. Among them we can count:

The Persians
The supplicants
The seven against Thebes
The Oresteia trilogy : Agamemnon ; The coephoras and the eumenides
Prometheus in chains

Sophocles (496 - 406 BC)

Sophocles gained fame after winning as a playwright against his predecessor, Aeschylus. He was a prolific author, worthy of many awards and recognitions, a close friend of Pericles. Today, only seven titles remain of his work. Namely:

Antigone
King Oedipus
Electra
Oedipus in Colonus
Ajax
Trachnyas
Philoctetes

Euripides (ca. 484 - 406 BC)

Euripides completes the triad of the great playwrights of Classical Greece. Unlike his predecessors, he did not always fix his attention on mythical figures, but instead gave rise to properly human dramas. Among his works we can refer to the following:

Medea
The Trojans
Andromache
Orestes
The Bacchantes

Update date: February 28, 2021.

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What is the Greek tragedy?

What is the Greek tragedy?

Greek tragedy

What is the Greek tragedy?

Characteristics of the Greek tragedy

Dramatic function

Topics

Characters

External structure

Internal structure

Social function

Representation mode

Origin of the Greek tragedy

Authors and works

Aeschylus (ca. 525 - ca. 455 BC)

Sophocles (496 - 406 BC)

Euripides (ca. 484 - 406 BC)

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