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Glite Dictionary
Melpomene

Melpomene

1 9.9
A Muse in Greek myth who inspires tragic plays and holds a tragic mask
  • proper noun
  • /mɛlˈpɒnɪ/
  • Literature
: Melpómene
  • Melpomene gifted you with the tragic tales of an orator.
  • Melpomene and Thalia

Examples

  • In Greek mythology, Melpomene is often depicted holding a tragic mask to symbolize her role as the Muse of tragedy.

  • This was just what the Beaux-Arts was about: making designs that would be, first of all, posters and logos to be seen at a distance among the hundreds of renderings hung in the Melpomene room at the École des Beaux-Arts.

    Academic text (1999)

  • She will be giving her farewell performance as Melpomene... the role she originated in my first ballet.

    Black Swan (2010)

  • The ancient Greeks honored Melpomene by dedicating theaters to her, as she inspired playwrights to create powerful tragedies.

  • When studying classical mythology, students learn that Melpomene embodies the themes of sorrow and loss in tragic narrative.

Surface Forms

Melpomene main

Etymology

Melpomene comes from an old Greek word meaning 'to sing', so she is the Muse who 'sings' tragic stories. The start of her name is the same as melody, which means 'song', and that link helps you remember she is the Muse of tragedy.