Classics/ Ancient Greek

anniema

Can someone please define for me:

•

Atasthalia

•

Hamartia

•

Peripeteia

What is the difference between them?

Reply 1

Glenbot3000

The first term I haven't heard before so is probably not necessary to obtain a good grade. With regards to the latter two: hamartia regards a hero's "tragic flaw", such as Ajax's hubristic attitude, and peripeteia is a "turning point", such as when Agamemnon steps onto Clytemnestra's cloth or when Medea receives the news of Creon and Glauce's death.

Reply 2

rosiesaurus

atasthalia refers to wild recklessness, resourceful, skillful (basically Odysseus' epithet) :biggrin:

Reply 3

anatolia3

Original post by anniema

Can someone please define for me:

•

Atasthalia

•

Hamartia

•

Peripeteia

What is the difference between them?

Hamartia means a sin and peripeteia means adventure

Reply 4

anniema

Original post by rosiesaurus

atasthalia refers to wild recklessness, resourceful, skillful (basically Odysseus' epithet) :biggrin:

Original post by Glenbot3000

Original post by anatolia3

Hamartia means a sin and peripeteia means adventure

Thanks all so much :biggrin:

good luck for your exams.

Reply 5

rosiesaurus

Original post by anniema

Thanks all so much :biggrin:

good luck for your exams.

i think im gonna need it....I just did a question and got one paragraph in and ran out of points :frown:

Reply 6

Glenbot3000

Original post by anniema

Thanks all so much :biggrin:

good luck for your exams.

Aww, cheers. Likewise for yourself! :> I'm alright for Tragedy, but I'm worried about The Odyssey... :frown:

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 7

rosiesaurus

Original post by Glenbot3000

Aww, cheers. Likewise for yourself! :> I'm alright for Tragedy, but I'm worried about The Odyssey... :frown:

OCR? I'm struggling with timing on essays and structuring them, and learning so much detail on so many books! D: can't wait to drop classics!

Reply 8

vm7169

I'm so scared for this exam and the Homer's Odyssey and Society, I teach myself at home and so have no idea on what to expect in the exam or how to structure my answers, is it a bit like a cross between English and History? Or like Latin Lit without the latin?

Reply 9

PatroclusFTW

Original post by vm7169

Most definitely like Latin lit without the latin, I reckon that's the best description! :P

Reply 10

Glenbot3000

Original post by rosiesaurus

OCR? I'm struggling with timing on essays and structuring them, and learning so much detail on so many books! D: can't wait to drop classics!

Aww, that's sad to hear! Classics is my favourite subject, ahaha. Yeah, I am doing OCR so I have Tragedy tomorrow and I am absolutely ****ting it. I also struggle with the same things in all honesty. Just gotta try your best, and hope you can perform on the day! So long as you make good and accurate points, I think the examiner is likely to be sympathetic if it's not 100% complete.

Reply 11

Glenbot3000

Original post by anniema

Can someone please define for me:

•

Atasthalia

•

Hamartia

•

Peripeteia

What is the difference between them?

Oh, btw, here's my teacher's definitions (not sure of her source, mind):

*Hamartia
("tragic error"):* a fatal error or simple mistake on the part of the protagonist that eventually leads to the final catastrophe. A metaphor from archery, hamartia literally refers to a shot that misses the bull’s-eye. Hence it need not be an egregious "fatal flaw" (as the term hamartia has*traditionally been glossed). Instead, it can be something as basic and inescapable as a simple miscalculation or slip-up.

Peripeteia
("plot reversal"): a pivotal or crucial action on the part of the protagonist that changes his situation from seemingly secure to vulnerable.
The best tragedies, according to Aristotle combine this moment with anagnorisis.