1. The Origin of Greek Tragedy--

    2. choral song hymns sung in honor of the wine god, Dionysus

    tragedy -- Greek= tragoidia

    = tragos + oide

    (goat) (song)

    dithyramb = the choral hymn, with mime describing the adventure of Dionysus. It was introduced into Greek in the 7th century. BC

    Dionysus Zagreus--death + rebirth

    Seasonal change

    Apollo + Dionysus

    Tetralogy = one satyr play + a trilogy (three tragedies)

  2. The Structure of a Greek Tragedy

1. Prologue (開場白) = setting forth the subject

2. Parodos (歌隊進場) = the song accompanying the entrance

of the chorus

3. Episode (場景) = scene in which one or more actors take

part

4. Stasimon (歌隊評唱) = song of the chorus

Stasima are originally reflection or expression of the emotion evoked by the preceding episode.
  1. Exodos (終場及歌隊退場)

　

Prologue�� Parodos��

1st Episode�� 1st Stasimon��

2nd Episode �� 2nd Stasimon��

3rd Episode�� 3rd Stasimon��

Exodos

III. Definition of tragedy according to Aristotle's Poetics

Tragedy is the imitation of an action

that is serious

and also having magnitude, complete in itself;

in language with pleasurable accessories, each kind

brought in separately in the parts of the work;

in a dramatic, not in a narrative form;

with incidents arousing pity and fear,

wherewith to accomplish its cartharsis of such emotions.