Greek tragedies started in honor of Dionysus.
Though the origins of Greek tragedies aren't precisely known, they were thought to have started as choral singing by men impersonating satyrs in honor of Dionysus -- the god of grapevines and wine making. The content of these lyrics, known as dithyramb, eventually incorporated mythological and heroic stories with an actor who would pose questions to the choir. Over time, more actors were added by the playwrights Aeschylus and Sophocles. The Greek tragedy was performed in early spring at state religious festivals.
Definition of a Greek Tragedy
The tragic hero always undergoes some change in fortune.
Tragedy always involves a noble hero or heroine, displaying flaws that are not always fatal. Through the tragedy the hero witnesses a decline through fate and the will of the gods. Usually this decline begins with the hero's encounter with limitations as he desires to achieve greatness. The tragic hero isn't always fated to die, but he must go through some change in prosperity and likely suffers tremendous loss. He often achieves some form of revelation about destiny or fate as well.
Performance of a Greek Tragedy
Greek tragedies involved male actors and a chorus.
Greek tragedies originally were performed at the annual state religious festival in early spring over the course of three days. It was a contest between three playwrights, each composing three different tragedies to be performed over the course of the festival. Actors were only male and accompanied by a chorus. The plays were written in various verse meter and the chorus sang in three sections known as strophe, antistrophe and epode.
The Tragic Hero
According to Aristotle's "Poetics," the tragic hero possessed four basic characteristics. The hero was always someone of nobility -- most often a king -- who was a kind and respectful man. He always had good intentions and had a considerable amount to lose if something were to not work out in his favor. The hero always had a tragic flaw known as hamartia, which caused his good intentions to work against him. This flaw was usually of character and often that of pride. This tragic flaw would cause him to suffer a decline and end up in misery. He would then go through a period of catharsis in which he realized that is own flaw caused his tragedy. This often occurs too late and does not prevent his decline.
Oedipus as the Tragic Hero
A well-known example of a tragic hero in Greek tragedy is the story of Oedipus. Oedipus was rescued as a child and given to the King of Corinth. He learns from a oracle that he will murder his father and marry his mother. After finding this out, he banishes himself from the kingdom. After setting out to Thebes, he runs into an angry man whom he ends up killing. He doesn't realize that this man is King Laius, his biological father. The story plays out that in order to save Thebes from plague, Oedipus must find the man who murdered King Laius.
Oedipus learns that he is Laius' son and that his wife, Jocasta is his biological mother. Though in the end Oedipus does not die, he suffers unbearable tragedy throughout the story.
