Genre: Tragedy

Tragedy on stage is thousands of years old. In Ancient Greece, playwrights entered competitions during the Festival of Dionysus. Meaning “goat song,” the best tragedy is thought to have been originally awarded with a goat (although this story is somewhat in dispute). Even though playwrights are no longer given livestock for great shows, the principles of tragedy are still influenced by what the ancient writers developed within their plays.

Terminology

• Catharsis: A term from Ancient Greek tragedy, meaning the purging of pity and fear .
• Epiphany: Also called “anagnorisis” in Ancient Greek tragedy, this is the recognition by the hero of his tragic fate, and his inability to change it.
• Hamartia: A tragic flaw, identified within Ancient Greek tragedy.
• Hubris: Excessive pride, the most common tragic flaw.
• The Poetics: Ancient treatise by Aristotle that sets out the rules of dramatic poetry, including comedy and tragedy.
• Revenge Tragedy: The protagonist, called to revenge by someone who has been wronged (usually the ghost of a family member).
• Tragic Hero: The protagonist, generally someone who is noble or royal, and is brought to a downfall by their own hubris.