Greek Tragedy

Tragedy: a form of drama based on human suffering

Catharsis: used by Aristotle to describe the effects that tragedy should have on the
audience pity and fear
A tragedy is defined by the suffering that the protagonist undergoes which usually,
but not always, results in their death. The content of a Greek tragedy is usually
focussed around a selection or combination of four themes: Mythology, family,
politics/civics and religion. However, a tragedy was not intended to comment or
reflect the society and politics of its time, though it may draw upon these in order to
evoke catharsis from the audience.
Traditionally tragedies were performed at the City (or Great) Dionysia, a festival in
Athens in honour of the god Dionysus. There was also a Rural Dionysia however it
was not as prestigious as the City Dionysia. In this festival, 3 playwrights competed
against each other for the title prize. Each playwright had to submit 3 tragic plays
and 1 satyr play (a short play that acted as a light-hearted break for the audience
between the tragedies) meaning the festival consisted of a total of 12 plays. The
winner was selected by a jury and it was not until 487 BCE that comedies were
allowed to be submitted.
Of those who competed in the City Dionysia, three stand out from among the rest,
known as the 3 Great Athenian Playwrights/Tragedians. They are:

Aeschylus

Sophocles

Euripides

525-455 BCE

497-406 BCE

480-406 BCE

Won approx.14 times

Won approx. 24 times

Won approx. 4 times

Many of the plays are lost and we can only estimate the number of times that these
tragedians won based on other records kept at the time. Of the estimated 123 plays
that Sophocles wrote only 7 exist today in their entirety.

It is important to note that one win at the City Dionysia = 4 successful plays.
Therefore for Sophocles, the 24 times he won is actually equivalent to 96 plays!
(However, lack of sources may mean that some of these wins were actually at other
festivals)
Ancient Greek tragedians followed a basic formula for their performances although
the tragedians modified this structure, adding more/less episodes and
increasing/decreasing the importance of the chorus as they saw fit.
The Prologue opening scene of the tragedy where the theme is revealed

The Parodos entrance of the Chorus who often provide the context/background

Episodes a scene of dialogue between characters, progressing the play

Stasimon where the Chorus comment on the happenings in the play

Exodus conclusion of the play and where the Chorus leave the stage.

In Antigone there are 5 episodes meaning that the structure of the play looks like
this:
Prologue
Parodos
Episode One
First Stasimon
Episode Two
Second Stasimon
Episode Three
Third Stasimon
Episode Four
Forth Stasimon

Episode Five
Fifth Stasimon
Exodus