The Dramatic Gifts of the
Greeks
One of the most important aspects of Greek drama (especially the tragedies)
is the number of literary and intellectual concepts that Greek society brought
to life and Greek drama set in stone for all of the writers and readers who
would follow.
Key Concepts from Greek Society:
- agon - Battle, contest or competition between rivals.
Agon was demanded first through warrior behavior, later intellectual agon
(debate) as well as with the Olympiad. A trial was also called agon as it was
seen as legal battle. Agon was aimed at achieving
Arete.
- arete - Denotes "virtue," but means, literally, inborn
"perfection" or "excellence", and it referred to the Greek belief that each
of us were born with certain innate abilities or capacities for excellence.
As a philosophy, arete is the argument that the highest purpose for an
individual is to fully develop whatever trait or ability that is inborn within
us. It was also believed that we should develop that trait in a way that was
in the best interest of all Greeks. Arete is also employed as a kind of
social philosophy, when it is used to argue that a citizen should be striving,
at all times, to excel at all aspects of Greek life. Arete served as the
ideal for the Greek nobility and became the key element of a Greek education.
As for drama, it is important to note that, only in death, can a hero fully
realize his arete.
- ate - The agent of some higher power, usually a god. In
Greek theology and tradition it was held that all of man's misery, whether
that misery came from some external source or from the will or impulse of
the sufferer themselves, is the result of ate.
- dike - Means the due share which each man can rightly
claim. Dike is a word from the Greek legal system and has come to mean
"equality" and metonymically represents the entire Greek judicial system that
is not themis.
justice) corruption is inevitable.
- themis - Literally means "the authority of justice," The
term connotes "the will of the gods." Themis is often painted as being at
odds with dike as Themis is only known to the nobility and the nobility can
only rule (as judge) on dike. Therefore, only the nobility can dispense
justice (an argument which writers like Hesiod used to construct some of the
first political commentary in literature).
- paideia - The Greeks interlocked the ideas of potential
and perfection. They believed that humans are born with the potential to be
perfect. To be a Greek obliged one to always strive to be more successful and
more perfect. This ideology is known as Paideia. Paideia required Greeks to
participate in their educational, political, and competitive arenas. Paideia
attempted to animate the virtues of Agon and Arete in an attempt to shape the
individual Geek's character and to preserve and promulgate Hellenic culture
Concepts that are integral to tragedy...
- hamartia -Aristotle says that a tragic hero must
demonstrate hamartia. It is the fatal flaw that is inherent in the
personality of the hero that silently bides its time until it has the chance
to bring an otherwise powerful hero to their knees.
- hubris -(also hybris) One of the best examples
of hamartia, hubris is the flaw of arrogance or excessive pride.
- nemesis - This term defines the hero's highly specific,
individualized, very-personal, and thoroughly inevitable undoing.
- catharsis - The purging of guilt by both the hero and the
audience (although it is considerably harder on the hero). Catharsis,
according to Aristotle is what makes tragedy socially useful.
Even Love must enter in....
- eros - All passions based on the yearning for union or
self-fulfillment. Eros is destroyed by fulfillment.
- philia - Friendship (ranges from being nice to guests,
xenike, to very intense friendships.
- agape - Love without strings or the giving of love
without expecting reciprocation.