| According to Aristotle, a tragedy is composed of words spoken between characters and chanted or sung by the chorus. The use of dialogue and song in the play are separated by different parts of the play. For example, the chorus sings for the audience when the characters are off stage. The tragic playwright carefully constructs the language of the play to create the intended atmosphere. The use of sensory details and figurative language can have a great impact on the mood of the audience. | Read the excerpt below from Poetics by Aristotle and complete the instruction that follows.Tragedy, then, is . . . in language embellished with each kind of artistic ornament, the several kinds being found in separate parts of the play . . .In your own words, summarize Aristotle’s definition of tragedy. |
| Creon attempts to appeal to his credibility as the sovereign ruler of the city, which gives him the ultimate authority to make decisions. Haemon counters his father’s argument with a logical appeal that a “city which belongs to just one man/is no true city.” It seems that Haemon has backed his father into a corner, which causes Creon to use an emotional appeal by referring to him as a boy who is taking the side of a woman. In the ancient Greek culture, women were not considered equal to men, so we can infer that Creon is insulting his son. | Explain the rhetorical appeals that Haemon and Creon use in their arguments to one another |
| The goal of the tragic playwright is to evoke fear and pity in the audience. Sophocles uses the allusion to Hades and Acheron to create in the audience fear and pity for Antigone. The allusion would have been instantly understood by the ancient audience, creating a gloomy mood. | Explain how Sophocles uses allusion to affect the mood of the audience. |
Ancient greek drama Antigone
February 16, 2020