The tragic hero
Tragedy According to Aristotle, tragedy arouses pity and fear in the audience so that we may be purged of unsettling emotions… This emotional release can be pleasurable and exhilarating, not depressing. This emotional release is known as catharsis…
The Tragic Hero Not completely good or bad Highly renowned and prosperous (royalty) Must fall from good fortune in order to move us
The Tragic Flaw A character weakness that makes the hero responsible for his downfall He is not merely a plaything of the gods By the end of the play he recognizes his flaw and accepts his fate… he is enlightened. We the audience feel that the punishment is too excessive for our hero so we pity him, yet we are fearful too because we know that the hero is better than us and still failed.
The Hero’s Persona They will possess a particular type of excellence (arete`) In addition, they also possess an excessive degree of pride (hubris) This excessive pride causes them to believe that the customary limitations do not apply to them, and they act with imprudence or blind recklessness (ate`) As a result their behavior invites disastrous retribution (nemesis)
Family Feud
1.Antigone’s quiet and timid sister Ismene
2.Ends each scene with a summary or opinion of the past events Chorus
3.The leader of the chorus Choragos
4.In charge of watching Polyneices’ body Sentry
5.Kills herself after her son dies Eurydice
6.A tragic hero that suffers from pride Creon
7.Son of the King Haimon
8.Blind prophet that warns Creon Tiresias
9.Sophocles’ birth place Athens
10.The plays were inspired by these stories The Greek myths
11.In the Greek plays where did the violence take place? Off stage
12.________is dropping hints about what is to come later in the text Foreshadowing
13. Antigone expects to be _____ by the gods for burying her brother 13.Antigone expects to be _____ by the gods for burying her brother. honored
14.How does Creon feel about women? He is sexist towards women
15.How do the Gods feel about Creon’s decrees They are angry
16. What final choice does Antigone make in the play 16.What final choice does Antigone make in the play? She commits suicide
17.Creon believes that this brother is a traitor Polyneices
18._____ is Antigone’s uncle Creon
19.Who is the author of this play? Sophocles
20.The name of the city where this play takes place Thebes
21.Antigone asks this person to help bury Polyneices Ismene
22.Oedipus killed his _____ and married his _____ Father, Mother
23.Known for her loyalty and bravery Antigone
24.Announces the tragedy at the end of the play The Messenger
26. Name the 4 Greek Concepts (stages) of a hero 26. Name the 4 Greek Concepts (stages) of a hero. Arete, hubris, ate, nemesis
27. What is Creon’s nemesis by the end of the play 27. What is Creon’s nemesis by the end of the play? His son and wife commit suicide
28. Name at least one background characteristic of a hero 28. Name at least one background characteristic of a hero. Elevated status, not extremely good or bad
29. According to Aristotle, this characteristic leads to the down fall of our hero. Tragic flaw
30. According to Aristotle a tragedy inspires what two things from the audience? Pity and fear
31. A release of emotion at the end of the play is called_____ 31. A release of emotion at the end of the play is called_____. catharsis
32. In what type of government did Sophocles live? democracy
32. How many plays of Sophocles have survived over time? 7
33. The opposite of what is said is meant. Verbal irony
34. A character that contrasts the qualities of another character. Foil
35. The audience knows something that the characters do not know 35. The audience knows something that the characters do not know. Dramatic irony
36. A person, place, or activity that stands for something else. symbol
37. Blind recklessness Ate
38. Excessive pride hubris
39. Showing excellence arete
40. What is enlightenment in terms of our tragic hero 40. What is enlightenment in terms of our tragic hero? Our hero realizes his/her tragic flaw and accepts his/her fate.