3. Drama has its roots in religion and ritual.

4. Question: Why do we have religion?

5. Answer: Religion deals with myth; with stories that attempt to explain things.

6. Rituals become part of religion. It is a ceremony that celebrates or reenacts a myth.

7. Rituals help create an organization over chaotic life.

8. Greek drama grew out of ritual. Festivals honor Dionysus. He was the son of Zeus who is lured away from home by the Titans; They confuse him, hack him into pieces and eat him. However his sister manages to steal his heart and rebuilds entire body. Dionysus becomes a man/god and becomes known as dithyrambus- he who entered life by a double door. It is out of myth of Dionysus that we have formal event in theatre-- ritual into drama.

9. There were four Dionysus festivals per year. The biggest was “City Dionysus” which began in April and lasted seven days. There were competitions between the playwrights and actors.

10. Greek Civilization was framed by two wars:

11. Aeschylus-- noted for chorus and character (Prosperity) 450-420 B.C. Sophocles--usually three actors and a chorus Oedipus, Oedipus at Colonus, Antigone

12. Euripedes--move toward realism Aristotle maintains that tragedy creates Catharsis-- a purging of the emotions, a cleansing of the soul through the arousal of fear and pity.