Tragedy Research

1. What is the definition of Classical Tragedy?Tragedy is a form of drama based on human suffering that invokes an accompanying catharsis or pleasure in audiences.
2. Where and when did the concept of Classical Tragedy originate?From its origins in the theatre of ancient Greece 2500 years ago.
3. What are some of the earliest examples of classical tragedies, and when were they written? Oedipus Rex- performed 429 BCE, The Orestia- performed 458 BCE and Prometheus bound performed 430 BCE. 
4. Who was Aristotle, what was he known for, and when was he alive?Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle was born circa 384 B.C. in Stagira, Greece. When he turned 17, he enrolled in Plato’s Academy. In 338, he began tutoring Alexander the Great. In 335, Aristotle founded his own school, the Lyceum, in Athens, where he spent most of the rest of his life studying, teaching and writing. Aristotle died in 322 B.C., after he left Athens and fled to Chalcis.
5. When did Aristotle write his study of tragedy, entitled Poetics? 330 BCE
6. What, according to Aristotle, is the aim of tragedy?The aim of tragedy, Aristotle writes, is to bring about a "catharsis" of the spectators — to arouse in them sensations of pity and fear, and to purge them of these emotions so that they leave the theatre feeling cleansed and uplifted, with a heightened understanding of the ways of gods and men.
7. What are the 6 component parts of tragedy, according to Aristotle? List them in order of importance. these were: plot, character, diction, reasoning, spectacle and lyric poetry.
8. What is the role of the tragic hero in Aristotle's theory of tragedy, and how important is the tragic hero in Classical Tragedy? They must suffer in their lives which then creates fear and pity through there suffering. One of them will have a catastrophe which is usually a reverse of fortune. 
9. Define the following elements/ingredients of Classical Tragedy:

• Hamartia- An offence committed in ignorance of some material fact; a great mistake made as a result of an error by a morally good person.

• Tragic flaw-A fatal weakness or moral flaw in the protagonist that brings him or her to a bad end.

• Hubris-Excessive pride or self-confidence.

• Peripeteia-is a reversal of circumstances, or turning point. 

• Anagnorisis (recognition)-is a moment in a play or other work when a character makes a critical discovery. Anagnorisis originally meant recognition in its Greek context, not only of a person but also of what that person stood for.

• Catharsis-the process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions.