The Greek Tragic Theater

Theater of Dionysos today (ruins c. 86BCE), Lycurgos

Artist’s Rendition of the Theater of Dionysos, 4th century BCE. Est. capacity: 17,000

When and Why

• C. 5th century BCE, at festivals throughout the year

• Main one in Athens: festival in honor of Dionysos

• Used to demonstrate Athens’ political and military power– Presentation of tribute

Pompeii

Who: Playwright

• Three playwrights– Sophocles (24)

– Aeschylus (13)

– Euripides (5)

• Wrote trilogies of three tragic plays and one satyr play– Only surviving trilogy:

Oresteia

What

• Stories from the mythology of Greece– Agammemnon

– Ajax

– Medea

– Oedipus the King

– The Bacchae

Who: The Actors

• Actors– No more than three

actors• Protagonist,

deuteragonist, tritagonist

– Male

– Masks / Costumes

Who: The Chorus

• 12-15 young men• Amateurs• Recruited, trained, and

paid for by a wealthy citizen named as that year’s choregos (producer)

• Sang and danced

Key physical components of the theater

• Orchestra• skene• mechane• ekkyklema

Five “W”s of Greek Tragedy

• Who– Professional actors (2-3)

– Amateur chorus (12-15)

– Playwright

• What– stories from mythology

• Where– Outdoor theaters in

Athens and other places

• When– C. 5th century BCE, at

festivals throughout the year

• Why– Both a religious festival

and a display of cultural and political power

– Not “entertainment”, but certainly entertaining