Graded Lie algebras: Generalization of Hermitian representations

Hermitian representations play a fundamental role in the study of the representations of simple Lie algebras. We show how this concept generalizes for classical simple graded Lie algebras. Star and grade star representations are defined through adjoint and grade adjoint operations. Each algebra admits at most two adjoint and two grade adjoint operations (we list the various possibilities for all classical simple graded Lie algebras). To each adjoint (grade adjoint) operation corresponds a class of star (grade star) representations. The tensor product of two star representations belonging to one class is completely reducible into irreducible representations belonging to the same class. This property is very useful since in general the finite-dimensional representations of classical simple graded Lie algebras are not completely reducible.