1. Tragedy
Definition of classical tragedy: tragedy involves a protagonist of high estate (“better than we are”) who falls from prosperity to misery through a series of reversals and discoveries as a result of a “tragic flaw,” or hamartia which is an error caused by human frailty. Aside from this tragic flaw, the protagonist is basically a good person.

2. Catharsis in tragedy
Tragedy evokes pity and fear in the audience, leading finally to catharsis (the purging of these passions.
What are some genres or types of film or literature that evoke catharsis?

3. Frye’s five stages of tragedy
Encroachment: protagonist takes on too much and makes a mistake that causes his or her fall
Complication: the building up of events aligning opposing forces that will lead to the tragic conclusion

4. 5 stages con’t
Reversal: the point at which it becomes clear that the hero’s expectations are mistaken and that his fate will be the reverse of what he had hoped
Catastrophe: exposes the limits of the hero’s power and dramatizes the waste of his life

5. 5 stages of tragedy con’t
Recognition: the audience and sometimes the hero as well recognizes the larger pattern of what has occurred. From this new perspective, the audience, and sometimes the hero, can see the irony of his actions

6. Irony Irony: refers to a contrast between appearance and reality.
Three types:
Situational Irony: is a contrast between what is expected to happen and what actually does happen * See when John Proctor forgets the commandment ‘Thou shalt not commit adultery.” because he has just broken it and it should be fresh in his mind.

7. Irony
Dramatic Irony: occurs when readers know more about a situation or a character in a story or play that the characters do * See scene when Elizabeth is questioned during the trial and asked why she released Abigail from her service.
Verbal Irony: occurs when someone states one thing and means another * See Act IV when John Proctor says he did see the devil but what does he really mean?