Elements of Tragedy

In ancient Greek literature

Conditions that must be present• Tragic character must be of

high birth status• They must experience a series

of events that threaten their position

• These events have a domino effect: one action leads to another

• The hero must suffer some tragic fall due to his own actions (even though the gods do some things). Thus, the hero chooses his own destiny.

Motif

• A recurring image or idea

• “Quest for knowledge”

Assignment

• Do a T-chart listing Oedipus’ good and bad traits

• Do questions 1 and 2 on page 453 under the “Analyzing Tragedy” section

• Do questions 2-3 on p. 453 under Critical Thinking and Reading” section