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Greek Drama
An Introduction
Origins
Where?– the eastern Mediterranean
When?– 6th and 5th centuries, B.C.
The Dionysus Cult
Greek drama originates from the Greek god Dionysus, the god of the vine (and of wine, theater, and dance).
Every fall, with the coming of the cold, Dionysus died…
But he was resurrected again each spring!This cycle assured the Greeks that death
does not end it all: his death and rebirth showed them that the soul lives on forever
The Festival of Dionysia
The most famous and popular public festival
4-5 days long – business was suspended, prisoners let out of jail on bail, foreign heads of state were honored, etc.
When: End of March/early April
began as choral songs about the death and resurrection of Dionysus
became a theatrical contest 3 dramatists competed over a 3-day
duration judged by a panel of 10 elected
judges subject of plays: ancient myth and
heroes, stories the audience knew
The Playwrights:The Playwrights:
Thespis, Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Eruipides
Thespis• invented “tragedy”• originally, the genre consisted of dance
accompanied by songs sung/chanted by a 50-member Chorus
• “invented” the art of acting by having a member of the Chorus step out of the Chorus to become a myth character or messenger – this person conversed with the Chorus
• introduced dialogue
Aeschylus• “invented” the second actor• allowed for dramatic conflict, more
than one point of view• wrote trilogies on unified themes
Sophocles• added a 3rd actor• allowed the complicated relationships
between the characters to dominate the plays
• reduced the size of the Chorus from 50 to 15
• reduced the role of the Chorus from active participant to commentator
• wrote 123 plays (only 7 survive today)
• first competed in the Dionysia theater contest at age 27 – beat Aeschylus to win
• won the contest 18 or 24 times• died in 406 B.C., at age 90!• plays were trilogies, but each
could stand alone• added painted scenery
Euripides• reduced the Chorus’ role even further• relied heavily on prologues and
mechene endings (flying machines so characters could fly in and out)
• known for his portrayal of women• characters tend to speak and act like
the people of the time – therefore his plays seem more “modern”
Conventions of the Theater
plays only performed during the daytime how did they indicate the time of day??
verbal reference (e.g., “good afternoon!”)sceneryprops (e.g., torches might suggest night)
the large outdoor theaters could seat 15,000 spectators!
most of a play’s action was set outdoors
no curtains
no intermissions, just a continuous flow of action
the Chorus was always on stage with the actors
Actors and Acting
• originally, the playwright was the actor• leading role: protagonist• second actor: deuteragonist• third actor: triagonist• all roles were played by men• Rule of Three: the play is limited to 3 actors
(each played multiple character roles) • the number of extras allowed was unlimited and
didn’t break the Rule of Three
The Messenger
• Reported off-stage events and violence not able to be seen
• Why? Violence was too large-scale to reproduce on stage; no one could die because the actor was needed for a later role!
• Often the Messenger’s speeches contained the play’s best writing – did the playwrights prefer writing to staging?
Costumes long, flowing robes high boots, often with raised soles larger-than-life masks made of linen, wood, or cork masks identified age, gender, and emotion masks had exaggerated features so the audience
could see more easily Thespis whitened the face Acschylus added color to the face
Masks Middle-aged man with
eyebrows meeting in the center, wrinkled forehead and open mouth. Tragic Mask. 4th Century B.C.
The Three Unities
Unity of ActionThe events of the play center around one single action.
There are no subplots.
Unity of PlaceThe events of the play are set in one unchanging scene.
Unity of TimeThe timeframe of the events of the play are limited to a 24-
hour period. Previous events or background information has to be recounted on the stage.
The Chorus
• originally, told the entire story• made up the story’s background characters
(e.g., town elders, maidens, war captives)• Sophocles reduced from 50 to 15 members• Despite reduced numbers, was still an important
part of the play
Functions of the Chorus• comment on the action/ offer approval or criticism
• ask questions
• give advice or warnings
• supply background information
• provide lyrical relief (perhaps relieve the tension of a highly emotional scene)
• guide the audience’s emotions (like a movie soundtrack)
• maintain a sense of ceremony and ritual
• serve as an emotional bridge between audience and actors
• unite the music, dance, and speech components
• separate the scenes/ divide the action into episodes
Choral TerminologyPrologue: the part before the Chorus enters; presents background information to situate
the conflict
Parodos: the entrance song of the Chorus
Ode: a song sung by the Chorus between episodes (scenes)
Epode: the final stanza in some odes
Paean: the concluding song, a song of thanksgiving to Dionysus
Exodus: the final exiting scene
Choragos: the Choral Leader; might dialogue with the Chorus but technically wasn’t a 4 th actor
The Theater
• In the 5th Century, the stage was a simple rectangular structure of timber. The benches were also made of wood except for special stone seats for priests and officials.
• The theater was rebuilt of stone in the 4th Century.
• By the 1st Century, the stage was flanked by Doric columns and a second floor was added
The TheaterA: Theatron• This is where the audience sat – men in the front and women in the
back• There were 63 rows of limestone benches• The front row consisted of 67 marble thrones for Festival officials
and important priests• The grandest throne, in the center, was reserved for the Priest of
Dionysos. The seat has iron claw feat on either side. The Priest was shaded from the sun by a canopy.
B: Orchestra• This was a circular dancing area where the actors and Chorus
performed• Later this became a semi-circle as the Chorus lost its importance
C: Thymele• This was an altar to Dionysus set in the center of the orchestra• Originally, a goat was sacrificed here (“tragedy” in Greek means
“goat song”)
D: Skene• This building behind the stage was used as a dressing room
– The reliefs at the rear of the stage, now mostly headless, depict the exploits of Dionysus
E: Proskenion• The façade of the Skene served as the scenery/backdrop of the play
(skene = scenery)
F: Parodos• Located on either side of the stage, these entrances to the theater
were used by the Chorus
What is Tragedy?
“Any serious and dignified drama that describes a conflict between the hero (protagonist) and a superior force (destiny, chance, society, gods) and reaches a sorrowful conclusion that arouses pity or fear in the audience.”
-Aristotle, a Greek philosopher
Important Terms Associated with Tragedy
Anagnorisis (Recognition)the hero’s change from ignorance to knowledge – he learns
truths about the human condition
Peripeteiaa reversal of fortune; a change of a situation to its opposite, for
example, from happiness to misery
Catharsisa relieving of emotional tension, typically pity or fear, in response
to watching a tragedy unfold and resolve*the audience is cleansed of this tension so as to face life with
less pity or fear or to have more control over these emotions because the tragedy has taught them greater understanding
The Tragic Hero
A tragic hero is a person who experiences a fall because of a flaw in his character.
A tragic hero
is noble in stature, well-known/famous, or prosperous (must have a lofty position to “fall” from)
is neither completely virtuous nor completely villainous (has both positive and negative qualities, does both good and bad deeds)
The Tragic Hero, Cont.
has free choice – fate may be involved, but the tragic hero must choose one course of action over another
has a punishment that exceeds the crime (there is a sense of injustice that the tragic hero didn’t deserve what he got)
has increased awareness or enlightenment – comes to understand what went wrong, what was really going on, how he brought about his own downfall
has Hamartia, or a tragic flaw – some flaw or defect in his personality brings about his downfall
Hubris, or arrogant, excessive pride, is a common tragic flaw.
The Oedipus Trilogy
Antigone written 442 B.C. Oedipus Rex written 430 B.C. Oedipus at Colonus written 401 B.C.
(produced after Sophocles’ death)
This Theban Cycle contains 3 stories about the House of Laius.
Chronologically, Antigone is the last of the cycle.
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