Greek Theater Vocabulary

Catharsis The act or process of releasing a strong emotion [such as fear or pity] especially by expressing it in an art form. – Acting is a means of catharsis for her.

Comedy A dramatic work that is light and often humorous or satirical in tone and usually contains a happy resolution of the thematic conflict. – The Princess Bride is an example of a comedy.

Tragedy A drama or literary work in which the main character is brought to ruin or suffers extreme sorrow, especially as a consequence of a tragic flaw, moral weakness, or inability to cope with unfavorable circumstances. – Two examples of tragedies are Oedipus the King and Romeo and Juliet.

Melodrama 1. Drama in which many exciting events happen and the characters have very strong or exaggerated emotions. 2. A situation or series of events in which people have very strong or exaggerated emotions. – Critics dismissed his work as melodrama.

Soliloquy A long, usually serious speech that a character in a play makes to an audience and that reveals the character’s thoughts. “But if it is hard for the theatergoer to catch all the meanings in Macbeth's rippling soliloquies, then how much harder is that task when Shakespeare seems unable or unwilling to unpack his obscurities.”

Satire A way of using humor to show that someone or something is foolish, weak, bad, etc.: humor that shows the weakness or bad qualities of a person, government, society, etc. – South Park is an example of satire.

Hubris [Hybris] Exaggerated self pride or self-confidence [overbearing pride], often resulting in fatal retribution. – Hubris was a crime in classical Athens.

Tragic Flaw A flaw in a character that brings about the downfall of the hero of a tragedy. – Romeo’s tragic flaw may be excessive pride.

Tragic Hero A great or virtuous character in a dramatic tragedy who is destined for downfall, suffering, or defeat. Oedipus is a classic tragic hero.

Irony The use of words to express something different from and often opposite to their literal meaning. An expression or utterance marked by a deliberate contrast between apparent and intended meaning. – “What a beautiful view,” he said, his voice dripping with irony, as he looked out the window at the alley.

Dramatic Irony The dramatic effect achieved by leading an audience to understand an incongruity between a situation and the accompanying speeches, while the characters in the play remain unaware of the incongruity. The irony occurring when the implications of a situation, speech, etc. are understood by the audience but not by the characters in the play. Romeo and Juliet’s Mercutio is an example of a character who’s speech contains dramatic irony.

Stage Direction An instruction to an actor or director, written into the script of a play. Stage directions may include center stage, stage left, stage right, or down stage right.

Monologue A dramatic soliloquy An extended speech by one person. Romeo delivers several monologues in Romeo and Juliet.