Greek Theater Vocab And Keyterms

Front 1

orchestra

Back 1

dancing area; chorus occupies this space

Front 2

skene

Back 2

a building or tent at back of acting area; often painted for scenery

Front 3

ode

Back 3

one of the songs which the chorus performed between scenes

Front 4

parados

Back 4

the opening ode sung as the chorus enter the stage

Front 5

exodos

Back 5

the final ode sung as the chorus exited the stage

Front 6

Strophe

Back 6

part of an ode sung as chorus moved from right to left

Front 7

Antistrophe

Back 7

part of an ode sung as the chorus moved from left to right

Front 8

chorus

Back 8

group of 12 or 15 performers who sang and danced the odes; the represented the elders or leading citizens

Front 9

choragus

Back 9

single spokesman for the chorus

Front 10

stichomythia

Back 10

dialogue consisting of alternating single lines spoken by two characters. To show intense debate. Similar to repartee

Front 11

repartee

Back 11

a fast-paced exchange of witty retorts in modern comedy

Front 12

dramatic irony

Back 12

irony that results when characters say or do something that has a greater significance than they realize, the audience knowledge is superior to that of the characters

Front 13

deus ex machina

Back 13

ac convention used in Greek tragedy whereby a crane was used to life actors about the acting area; usually these actors are playing god. LIterally, it means "god from a machine" and is now used as a means of resolving a plot suddenly

Front 14

dithyramb

Back 14

a choral hymn to Dionysus; tragedy grew party from this type of poetry

Front 15

tragic hero

Back 15

Goodness, Appropriateness, Lifelike, Consistency (Aristotle's definition)

Front 16

hamartia

Back 16

an error in judgement that brings about the downfall of the tragic protagonist; any quality in excess that brings down a downfall (Aristotle's definition)

Front 17

hubris

Back 17

excessive pride

Front 18

catastrophe

Back 18

the resolution of the plot of the tragedy depicting the final downfall of the protagonist

Front 19

anagnorisis

Back 19

a critical moment of reconition on the part of the protagonist

Front 20

peripeteia

Back 20

a sudden change in fortune; reversal of fortune

Front 21

downstage

Back 21

toward the audience

Front 22

upstage

Back 22

away from the audience

Front 23

exeunt

Back 23

exit

Front 24

aside

Back 24

a dramatic convention; a speech given to the audience intended to reveal a character's inner thoughts

Front 25

monologue

Back 25

a lengthy speech by a single character in a play, different from a soliloquy because the actor is not necessarily on stage alone

Front 26

soliloquy

Back 26

a speech made by character who is on stage alone; understood as the character's thought