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Greek Tragedy
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What are we going to talk about?
The Origins of Tragedy The Parts of a Greek Theater The Theaters Themselves The Major Playwrights The Way a Greek Tragedy Was Staged
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The Origins of Tragedy Thespis of Corinth The first travelling actor
Active BCE Added prologue and speech to choral performance Invented the mask
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Where Was Tragedy Performed?
Almost every Greek city had a theater Usually in the center of the city
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The Parts of a Theater The Orchestra The acting area semi-circular
Had a small altar in honor of Dionysus in the center Where the Chorus danced and the actors spoke
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The Parts of a Theater The Skene The large backdrop
Could be decorated with scenery Where the action actually took place (hidden) Roof was accessible Originally one door in the center, but eventually had three doors
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The Skene
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The Parts of a Theater The Ekkyklēma The Mēchanē A wheeled platform
Used to display set pieces The Mēchanē a large crane Used for the entrance of gods
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The Theaters Theater of Dionysus Athens Main theater for tragedy
4th century remains 20,000 seats Located on side of Acropolis
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Theater of Dionysos
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Theater of Dionysos
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The Theaters Theater of Epidauros The best-preserved
Largest surviving theater Still in use today
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Theater of Epidauros
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Theater of Epidauros
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The Theaters Theater of Pergamon In Asia Minor (Turkey)
Extremely steep seating Pergamon was one of the most wealthy Asian cities
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Theater of Pergamon
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The Playwrights Three major tragedians Aeschylus Sophocles Euripides
All active in the 5th century All won first place in multiple competitions
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Aeschylus b. 525 d. 456 (Sicily) Wrote first tragedy in 499
Won first first prize in 484 (13 overall)
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Aeschylus Introduced the second actor
Wrote over 70 plays (seven survive) Both sons were very successful playwrights Prometheus Bound & The Persians
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Sophocles b. 496 d. 406 Very active in city politics
Wrote first tragedy in 468 Won first prize 468 Won 18 first prizes
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Sophocles Introduced the third actor
Wrote over 120 plays (seven survive) The most successful of the Big Three Introduced more dialogue between characters (less Chorus) Oedipus Tyrannus, Oedipus at Colonus, Antigone, Electra
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Euripides b. 485 d. 406 (in Macedonia)
Not active militarily or politically First tragedy 455 First first prize 441 Won only four first prizes The least successful of the Big Three
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Euripides Wrote ninety plays (19 survive)
Sophocles: “I present men as they ought to be, Euripides presents men as they are.” More realistic than the other two Medea,, Bacchae, Orestes
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The Staging of Tragedy Performers wore high heels, loud costumes and heavy make-up… They wore elaborate clothes, tall boots, and masks They relied on background singers, known as the Chorus. Especially after the introduction of the third actor
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The Staging of Tragedy - Actors
Maximum of three actors Aeschylus second Sophocles third All roles played by men Same group of actors for each set of plays for each author
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The Staging of Tragedy - Actors
Playwrights did not act in their own plays after Sophocles Chorus publicly funded A choregos would pay for and train the chorus Viewed as a civic duty Choregos got a monument if his chorus won
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The Staging of Tragedy - Costumes
Actors wore: Masks Robes Platform boots Chorus could be in costume (comedy)
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The Staging of Tragedy - Masks
The most salient feature All parts by men, so mask depicted gender Acted as a megaphone Multiple Masks = Multiple Characters Only three actors More than three speaking roles, need for costume and mask change
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The Audience Any male could attend Women most likely able to attend
State funded attendance Cost was the average daily wage of a laborer Catharsis “learning through suffering” Performances emotional
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