Discussion Point – 10/12/2016 Someone once said, “You’re not really living until you find something worth dying for.” What is the one person or thing that you would fight for with all of your strength, no matter what the obstacles?

Greek Drama

Roots in Worship of Dionysus God of wine and revelry

Origins Celebration of Dionysus- God of Wine Performed in circular dancing place (orchestra) A chorus of men dressed in goat skins A story about Dionysus by leader of the chorus

PRODUCTION Orchestra Chorus (from 12-15 people) Actors- always men, masked and in costumes Early plays of Aeschylus- only two actors; by about 450 B.C., a third had been added The poet composed the music and the dance as well as the text, directed the production, and trained the chorus; some dramatists also played the leading roles.

Masks of Greek Theater

Masks of Greek Theater

The Greek Chorus The chorus was dominant because there was usually one actor and that actor had to leave the stage several times during a show to change characters. The chorus was to be a representation of society, they often served as the “ideal spectator” by providing advice, opinions, questions to the audience and actors. The main actor(s) stood apart in the performance space because they typically played heroic figure that would realistically be separated from normal mortal beings. Their costumes and masks added spectacle and their movement and dance heightened the dramatic effect. Great actors were characterized by their voice quality and the ability to adopt their manner of speaking to the character.

Functions of Chorus The beauty of poetry and dancing Relieves tension Interprets events for audience Often converses with the actors; gives advice Gives background of events

Chorus

Tragedy A drama of a character, usually one in high position, where a conflict usually develops between the protagonist/hero and a “superior force (such as destiny, circumstance, or society)” and the story ends in some sort of disaster or great fall of the protagonist. Tragedy n A drama of a character, usually one in a high position, where a conflict usually develops between the protagonist/hero and a “superior force (such as destiny, circumstance, or society)” and the story ends in some sort of disaster or great fall of the protagonist.

Hubris and Hamartia Hamartia: “A tragic flaw or error that in ancient Greek tragedies leads to the hero’s reversal of fortune.” Hubris: Excessive pride or arrogance. Often leads to the downfall of the major character in Greek tragedy.

GREAT GREEK TRAGEDIANS AESCHYLUS (ca.525-456 B.C.) SOPHOCLES (ca.495-406 B.C.) EURIPIDES (c 480-406 B.C.)

Sophocles Only seven of his tragedies have survived into modern times with their text completely known. The most famous of these are the three tragedies concerning Oedipus and Antigone: these are often known as the Theban plays or The Oedipus Cycle, (Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus, & Antigone) although they were not originally written or performed as a single trilogy. Sophocles influenced the development of the drama, most importantly by adding a third character and thereby reducing the importance of the chorus in the presentation of the plot. He also developed his characters to a greater extent than earlier playwrights such as Aeschylus.

Sophocles’ Truisms Sophocles’ play, Antigone contains many words of wisdom or “truisms” (suggest universal meaning). Below are the themes (“truisms”) and the scene:line number where the text is found. “Reason is God’s crowning gift to man” (3:52) “Must not any son value his father’s fortune as his father does his?” (3:71-72) “The reasonable thing is to learn from those who can teach” (3:91) “A good man yields when he knows his course is wrong, and repairs the evil” (5:34-35) “There is no happiness where there is no wisdom; No wisdom but in submission to the gods.”

Structure of Tragedy Prolouge-First Act Parados- Entrance of the Chorus Episodes- Acts Stasima-Choral Odes Exedus- Action after last stasimon

Typical Greek Theatre Theatron- where the audience sits Open air Hillside Seating capacity of the Theatron of Dionysus of Athens? About 17,000

Dionysus Theater in Athens

Dionysus Theater in Athens

Orchestra-dancing place of the chorus Skene- dressing room for actors Proscenium- the façade of the skene where scenery was- No curtains Dues et Machina- technical device- crane atop the skene with a dummy hung representing gods.

The Greek Outdoor Amphitheatre

Differences… Drama, Then and Now Greek drama(GD) is religious GD get their subjects from mythology GD outlines the plot in advance, little suspense GD main interest is religion and ethical instruction

Dionysus Theater in Athens

Aristotle’s Poetics

Central Character is of the Elite Class Central Character suffers a Downfall Central Character is Neither Wholly good nor wholly evil

Downfall is the result of a Fatal Flaw (Hamartia) Downfall is the result of a Fatal Flaw (Hamartia). The flaw is usually pride/arrogance before the gods (Hubris)

Misfortunes involve characters who are related or who are friends Tragic actions take place offstage

Audience experiences pity and fear Pity and Fear leads to a catharsis Oedipus and Sphinx