1. Greek Tragedy In literature, a tragedy is a form of drama that shows the downfall of a dignified, superior character who participates in events of great significance. The ancient Greeks who developed tragedy, used it to explore ideas about humans’ relationships to the gods, often delving into such serious subjects as duty, suffering, and fate.

2. Characteristics of Greek Tragedy #1- Tragic Hero: The tragic hero at the center of the tragedy is a person of high rank who accepts his or her downfall with dignity.

3. Characteristics of Greek Tragedy #2- Tragic Flaw: A tragic flaw- an error in judgment or a weakness in character, such as pride or arrogance- helps bring about the hero’s downfall. The tragic hero recognizes this flaw and its consequences but only after it is too late to change the course of events.

4. Characteristics of Greek Tragedy #3- Catastrophe: A tragedy ends with a catastrophe- a disastrous conclusion that usually involves multiple deaths. If the tragic hero does not die, then he or she suffers complete ruin.

5. Characteristics of Greek Tragedy #4- Fate: The ancient Greeks believed in the idea of fate, or a destiny preordained by the gods no matter what action a person takes in the present. The Fates were three goddesses who determined the length of a person’s life and how much suffering it would contain. Greeks held that it was impossible to escape one’s fate.

6. Characteristics of Greek Tragedy #5- Chorus: Throughout a tragedy, the chorus- a masked group of actors- observe and comment on the action through songs. Their responses and values were suppose to reflect those of the audience.

7. Greek Deities #6-The ancient Greeks believed that their gods ruled the world from the top of Mount Olympus, Greece’s highest mountain. The gods’ ruler was Zeus, whose weapon was thunderbolts. The characters in tragedies honor and fear their gods and struggle to please them. Often, bad things happen to characters because they have angered the gods.