agon
agon — noun
1. in ancient Greek culture, a formal struggle or contest — on stage, a scene where
in ancient Greek culture, a formal struggle or contest — on stage, a scene where two characters clash in open argument; in public life, a competition in sports, music, poetry, or debate between rivals.
In Sophocles' play, the agon between Antigone and Creon drives the whole story forward.
agon between [two characters] in drama
The Olympic Games began with an agon that tested runners from across Greece.
agon as athletic competition
Trang studied how each Greek tragedy uses an agon to reveal the characters' deepest beliefs.
The agon at the festival included contests in music, poetry, and drama, not just sports.
Modern literary critics sometimes call the central conflict of any story its agon.
- contest
a broader, everyday word for any competition; lacks the specific ancient Greek cultural context of 'agon'
- conflict
a more general term for disagreement or struggle; 'agon' is specific to formal, structured competitions or dramatic scenes
- struggle
emphasizes difficulty and effort; 'agon' adds a sense of formal, rule-bound contest
- harmony
a state of agreement and peace, opposite of the conflict implied by 'agon'
- cooperation
working together, the opposite of opposing each other in a contest
文法句型
the agon between [plural noun]
agon of [noun]
用法筆記
Frequently used in discussions of ancient Greek drama, where the agon is the crucial conflict scene between protagonist and antagonist. The word is also used by literary critics to describe the central struggle in any narrative. It is rarely used in everyday conversation.