Catastasis

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In classical tragedies, a catastasis (pl. catastases) is the third part of an ancient drama, in which the intrigue or action that was initiated in the epitasis, is supported and heightened, until ready to be unravelled in the catastrophe. It also refers to the climax of a drama.^[1]

In rhetoric, the catastasis is that part of a speech, usually the exordium, in which the orator sets forth the subject matter to be discussed.^[2]

[edit] References

1. ^ This article incorporates content from the 1728 Cyclopaedia, a publication in the public domain.
2. ^ Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)