Sophocles & the Greek theatre Unit: Oedipus the King Sophocles & the Greek theatre

Dithyramb – ANCIENT GREEK HYMN The performers wore costumes, danced, and played drums, lyres and flutes, They described the adventures of Dionysus, god of wine and fertility. The dithyramb was given a regular form and raised to the rank of artistic poetry about 600 BC. It became one of the competitive subjects at the various Athens festivals. It attracted the most famous poets of the day. Chorus, strophe, antistrophe, ode, hippocryte

Greek Theatre - took advantage of hillsides to create stadium style - large, open areas - took advantage of hillsides to create stadium style seating - could usually seat thousands of people (Dionysia could seat approx. 17,000) - performance space was called the “orchestra” - this is where the chorus sang and danced Greek Theatre

Sophocles 495 BCE – 405 BCE (approx.) Became a prominent resident of Athens, Greece By sixteen, he was already known for his beauty and grace and was chosen to lead a choir of boys at a celebration of the victory of Salamis In 468 BCE, he took first prize at Dionysia, defeating the reigning champion, Aeschylus Dionysia was a large religious festival in honor of Dionysus, the god of agriculture, theatre, wine, & ecstasy Wrote over 120 plays, only 7 of which have withstood the test of time

Theatre would never be the same! Sophocles’ Changes… Introduced a third actor Gave dialogue a fuller sense of development Lessened the role of the chorus Developed “skené” where the background was painted and arranged in order to create a spectacular effect Theatre would never be the same!

Theatrical terms… Tragedy Developed out of ancient Greece A drama or literary work in which the main character, or protagonist, is brought to ruin or suffers extreme sadness, especially as a consequence of a tragic flaw, moral weakness, or inability to cope with unfavorable circumstances. Deals with affairs of the state (wars, government, etc.)

Theatrical terms… Tragic Hero Some characteristics of a tragic hero: He sees and understands his doom; his fate was revealed by his own actions. His downfall arouses pity and fear. He is physically or spiritually wounded by his experiences, often resulting in his death. He is often a king or leader, so that his people experience his fall with him. This could also include a leader of a family. The hero learns something from his/her mistake. The hero is faced with a serious decision. The suffering of the hero is meaningful. Tragic Hero the main character in a tragedy who makes an error in their actions that leads to their own downfall

Theatrical terms… Chorus a group of 12-15 men that provided background information and commentary to help the audience understand the performance They modeled how the audience “should” react They expressed what the main characters (of which there were only 2 before Sophocles) could not say… their thoughts, feelings, etc. Usually sang, but would also speak in unison (very overdramatically to enhance volume)

Theatrical terms… Deus ex machina Literal translation: “god from the machine” A plot device in which an unexpected event occurs in a story's plot, very suddenly and completely resolving an otherwise unsolvable conflict Also… a crane used to suggest flying through the air.

Theatrical terms… Four Types of Irony Dramatic- audience knows something the characters don’t Situational- when the last thing you expect to happen, happens Verbal- what is said vs. what is meant (sarcasm) Cosmic- what the characters aspire to vs. what the cosmic forces allow