The Rise of DRAMA in Greece (derived from the Greek “dran,” means “a thing done”) The roots of ancient Greek culture lie in the cult of Dionysius, the god of wine and fertility, one of the Olympian deities honored in the Greek world. In myth, the male followerse of Dionysius were satyrs, drunken half-animal, half-man creatures and females were maenads, or “mad women.” In ancient Greek times, followers sometimes assumed these roles, pretending to be satyrs or maenads, in their religious rituals, resulting in much singing, drinking, dancing, and theatrical performing in honor of their god. Members of the Dionysian cult told the myths of their god in this way as a chorus until, according to legend, a man named Thespis, a Dionysian priest, stepped out of the chorus and took on the role of an independent actor who interpreted the ideas through dialogue rather than through a song, creating the Greek tragedy. He is ultimately attributed with being the first actor.

Ancient Greeks from the 5 th century onward were fascinated by the question of the origins of two types of Greek drama: tragedy and comedy. In the town of Thespis, Athens, Greece, the theater especially flourished. The word tragedy developed around the 5 th century as a result of performances of original lyric recitations. It is generally believed that it came from the Greek tragoidia, a compound of tragos (goat) and aeidein (to sing). One etymological theory is that a goal was the prize for the best performance. Aristophanes was a popular comic playwright who addressed serious social issues in direct and crude ways, which made it enjoyable for an audience, who might even become the target of a joke or mocking comment.

Sophocles wrote about 120 dramas, 7 of which have survived, whose most famous piece is “Oedipus Rex,” which was considered by Aristotle to be archetypal drama and Oedipus, the archetypal hero. What is the meaning of OEDI = PUS = REX = Can you, like Oedipus, answer the riddle of the Sphinx? (If you know, wait a moment to reveal the answer!) “What goes on four legs in the morning, on two legs at noon, and on three legs in the evening?

What was the resolution of a Greek drama called? As characters resolve at this point, who would you call the protagonist of the story? What was the exposition of a Greek drama called? What was the difference between the “chorus” and the “choragos?” What was the poetic interval at the end of a scene spoken by the chorus called? Focus: Character(s): The Chorus The chorus participated in stichomythic dialogue amongst themselves and the actors to create argumentation and suspense and commented on the action to restate or highlight key facts or details.

Answer to the Riddle of the Sphinx: a man He crawls on all fours as a baby, walks on two legs as an adult, and walks with a cane in old age. No stage directions are written into Greek plays; therefore, evidence has been gleaned from sources, such as Vitruvius, a Roman architect who wrote a book about architectural styles. All of these characteristics of the Greek stage have withstood the test of time and are present even in modern-day productions. What is the acting area called where the chorus danced and sang? What is the area called where the audience sat? THE STAGE What do you call the area that separates the actors from the audience?

It was around the time of Alexander the Great that comedy took on a different form; “new comedy” focused on the humor found in Athenians daily life rather than concentrating on political issues. This change was partially due to the fact that freedom of speech, which Aristophanes had taken advantage of so well, was no longer a right under the domination of Macedonia. Thus domestic situations, such as Everybody Loves Raymond; stock characters like the dumb blonde or the brave warrior; and coincidence, such as When Harry Met Sally were focuses for entertainment. Actors wore masks or persona (Latin per = through and sonare = to sound) to indicate the sex and mood of their character, giving rise to the modern-day symbol of the theater: the comedy and tragedy masks. They also wore long, flowing robes called chiton.

Focus: Complications – a 10-point evaluation of problems and solutions Is Oedipus’ primary conflict internal or external? Man versus what category? What specifically? Identify Oedipus’ problem. ID his choice of a solution. Was it effective or ineffective in the end? Why? Identify a possible alternative solution the character could have taken. Is this effective or ineffective? Why?

Was Oedipus a Tragic Hero? Tragic HeroEpic Hero DOES NOT REALIZE the flaw in time to change the course of events or to save him or her self  REALIZES the flaw in time to change the course of events or to save him or her self Possesses a tragic flaw (Ex: the 7 deadly sins) Falls from a height (of nobility or a rise to nobility, of stature such as loss of reverence or respect) The fall brings about a measurable loss The loss results in self-awareness, increase of self knowledge, and reflection