Antigone Pre-reading Notes Test Date: _____________________ Mrs. Davidson English 5

Apollo, The Sphinx, and Dionysus Apollo: The Sphinx: Dionysus:

Oracles, Curses, and Fate Oracles: Jocasta and Laius: Greek concept of a curse: Greek concept of Fate: Jocasta and Laius:

The Origin of Tragedy Religion Plays Chorus Audience

Greek Playwrights Thespis (6 th Century B.C.) Aeschylus ( B.C.) Sophocles (496 – 406 B.C.) Euripedes (486 – 406 B.C.)

Typical Greek Theater Plan A Theatron D Skene B Orchestra E Proskenion C Thymele F Parados

Structure of Greek Theater Theatron – the “seeing place” Orchestra – circular dancing place for performance Thymele – altar Skene – building used as dressing room Proskenion – façade used as backdrop Parodos – entrance used by chorus

Actors and Acting Hypocrites (hypocrite) – Actors – Musical Accompaniment – Dance Chorus Mood – Costumes and Masks Robes Boots Masks – Three characters Protagonist Deuteragonist Tritagonist

Aristotle and Theatric Conventions “Poetics” (circa 350 B.C.) Catharsis – the function of tragedy Tragic Hero – a flawed character Other Conventions – – Messenger – Chorus – Intermission – Curtains – Lighting effects

The “Three Unities” Unity of Action Unity of Time Unity of Place

The Structure of Plays Dialogue – Episodes – Strophes – Antistrophe Order – Prologue – Parados – Alternating Kommos Exodus (Epilogue)

Episodic Structure of a Greek Tragedy