Final answer:
Greek tragedies adhered to three main rules: they focused on a noble character, covered a subject relevant to the greater community, and featured a protagonist whose downfall was brought about by a personal flaw, notably hubris. These dramas offered critiques of contemporary society and conveyed powerful messages through rhythm, melody, and spectacle while avoiding the Deus ex Machina for resolving plotlines.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Greek tragedy is a theatrical form that evolved from ancient rites and religious ceremonies, particularly those honoring Dionysus. Early Greek theatre developed from dithyrambs, which were choral hymns sung in honor of Dionysus. These performances laid the groundwork for both tragedy and comedy, which were performed during festivals such as The City Dionysia.
Among the great ancient Greek tragedians, including Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides, there were specific rules they tended to follow in crafting a tragedy. Aristotle later distilled the essential elements of tragedy into key components, one of which is the unyielding rule that the main character should be a nobleman, his actions should be significant to the fate of the general populace, and usually, his downfall is caused by a personal flaw, often hubris. While Aristotle broke down tragedy into six parts, the three widely acknowledged rules that Greek tragedies often adhere to include: a focus on a noble character, the significance of the subject matter to the greater community, and the presence of a personal error leading to the protagonist's downfall
It is important to note that these plays depicted life in human terms, using mythological or ancient settings to critique contemporary society. The experiences of characters in these plays, such as in the case of Oedipus, presented powerful narratives about humanity's frailty and the oftentimes destructive nature of pride or the unrelenting power of fate.
Melody, language, and spectacle were also crucial in Greek tragedies. The use of verse provided a rhythm to the speech, and music accompanied performances. However, Aristotle emphasized that the Deus ex Machina, or the intervention of gods, should only be used for events beyond human understanding or control, and not as a way to resolve plot issues that arise naturally from the story itself.