catastasis

English

Etymology

From Ancient Greek κατάστασις (katástasis, “settling, appointment”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kəˈtæstəsɪs/

Noun

catastasis (countable and uncountable, plural catastases)

1. In classical drama, the second and penultimate section, in which action is heightened for the catastrophe.
   • 1922, James Joyce, Ulysses:

     It doubles itself in the middle of his life, reflects itself in another, repeats itself, protasis, epitasis, catastasis, catastrophe.

   • 1965, John Fowles, The Magus:

     The object of the meta-theatre is precisely that – to allow the participants to see through their first roles in it. But that is only the catastasis.

2. (rhetoric) The part of a speech that states the subject to be discussed.

Related terms

• protasis
• epitasis
• catastrophe