Greek Tragedy

TRAGEDY
Was a public genre from its earliest beginnings at Athens
refers primarily to tragic drama: a literary composition written to be performed by actors in which a central character
called a tragic protagonist or hero suffers some serious misfortune
the misfortune is logically connected with the hero's actions.
Tragedy stresses the vulnerability of human beings whose suffering is brought on by a combination of human and
divine actions.

TRAGIC HEROES ARE:

BORN INTO NOBILITY:
RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN FATE
ENDOWED WITH A TRAGIC FLAW
DOOMED TO MAKE A SERIOUS ERROR IN JUDGEMENT

EVENTUALLY, TRAGIC HEROES

FALL FROM GREAT HEIGHTS OR HIGH ESTEEM
REALIZE THEY HAVE MADE AN IRREVERSIBLE MISTAKE
FACES AND ACCEPTS DEATH WITH HONOR
MEET A TRAGIC DEATH

Some other common traits characteristic of a tragic hero:

Hero must suffer more than he deserves.
Hero must be doomed from the start, but bears no responsibility for possessing his flaw.
Hero must be noble in nature, but imperfect so that the audience can see themselves in him.
Hero must have discovered his fate by his own actions, not by things happening to him.
Hero must see and understand his doom, as well as the fact that his fate was discovered by his own actions.
Hero's story should arouse fear and empathy.
Hero must be physically or spiritually wounded by his experiences, often resulting in his death.
Ideally, the hero should be a king or leader of men, so that his people experience his fall with him. This could also
include a leader of a family.
The hero must be intelligent so he may learn from his mistakes.
The hero must have a weakness; usually it is pride.
He has to be faced with a very serious decision.
Must have something gone wrong in his/her current life.
The suffering of the hero must have meaning.

Drama is a Greek word meaning 'action', related to the verb dran 'to do'. The author of a tragedy was not just a writer of a
script. When his work was approved for presentation at the state religious festival in honor of the god Dionysus, the state
assigned him actors and a chorus.

You should know that

Greek tragedies and comedies were always performed in outdoor theaters.
Orchestra: The orchestra (literally, "dancing space") was normally circular. It was a level space where the chorus
would dance, sing, and interact with the actors who were on the stage near the skene.
Theatron: The theatron (literally, "viewing-place") is where the spectators sat. The theatron was usually part of
hillside overlooking the orchestra, and often wrapped around a large portion of the orchestra (see the diagram
above).

Sophocles
Sophocles was born 496 BC died 406 BC
Born into a wealthy family
Served as a general and a priest during his lifetime
Fathered 2 sons, one whom went on to become a playwright
Worshipped as a hero after his death
Major Works
Ajax
Antigone (442bc)
Oedipus the King (sometime between 430-411 bc)
Philoctetes (409 BC)
Oedipus at Colonus (produced after his death in 406BC)
Electra
Trachiniae