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Western Civilization Greek Theater
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The Land
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The Land Greece has many inhabited islands and dramatic mountain ranges Greek civilization started in the island of Crete in 2000 BCE. Its called the Minoan civilization, after King Minos. Remember the Minotaur? Every nine years, King Minos would send 7 boys and 7 girls to a labyrinth to be eaten by this half man- half bull creature.
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Civilizations/ Accomplishments
The Mycenean civilization came from mainland Greece (1500 BCE). The Myceneans were soldiers, and under King Agamemnon, they battled against the city of Troy during the infamous Trojan War. Around 750 BCE, the Greeks developed a writing system borrowed by the Phoenicians. The Greeks invented the alphabet, resulting in literary achievements, such as epics, speeches, for commercial use, etc.
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Accomplishments/ Government
Greeks lived in city-states (polis) ruled by a king. Even though the Greeks did not see each other as a single nation, they did feel a sense of nationality with their neighboring communities. Democracy was founded in Greece around 500 BCE. The most notable government was in Athens. City-states were patriarchal, which means that only free, native male citizens could vote and participate in politics. Philosophy, as a practice, began in Greece (Socrates, Plato, Aristotle) around 600 BCE.
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The Greek Theater 5th Century B. C. Golden Age of Greek Drama
Dramatic festivals were popular People witnessed tragic and comic plays 7
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Roots in Worship of Dionysus
God of wine and revelry
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Theater of Dionysus Dionysia was an annual festival in honor of the god Dionysus Theater of Dionysus was an open-air theater with room for fourteen thousand spectators 9
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Theater of Dionysus carved out of a stone hillside
looked like a semicircle with steeply rising tiers of seats At the bottom was the orchestra. Male actors performed all the roles Actors switched masks to play a number of roles – both female and male 10
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Theater of Dionysus 11
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The Stage Three Main Portions of Greek Theatre:
Skene – Portion of stage where actors performed (included 1-3 doors in and out) Orchestra – “Dancing Place” where chorus sang to the audience Theatron – Seating for audience
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The Stage
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The Stage Greek plays were performed during religious ceremonies held in honor of Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and revelry (altars generally on stage) Banks would shut down for days. People would travel from all around to see the drama competitions—even prisoners were temporarily released to see the plays Tragedy means “goat song” (relates to Dionysian rituals)
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Where and how were the dramas performed?
…In an amphitheatre …With a chorus who described most of the action. …With masks …With all the fighting and movement going on off stage. ….With tragedy first, then comedy later.
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Masks of Greek Theater
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The masks were worn for many reason including:
1. Visibility 2. Acoustic Assistance 3. Few Actors, Many Roles 4. Characterization
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Some general categories of masks
1. OLD MEN Smooth-Faced, White, Grizzled, Black-Haired, Flaxen and More Flaxen 2. YOUNG MEN Common, Curled, More Curled, Graceful, Horrid, Pale and Less Pale 3. SLAVES Leathern, Peaked-Beard, Flat Nose 4. WOMEN Freed Old Woman, Old Domestic, Middle Aged, Leathern, Pale-Disheveled, Pale Middle Aged, Whorish-Disheveled, Virgin, Girl 5. SPECIALIST MASKS Some made for specific characters, others for: Mourning, Blindness, Deceit, Drunkenness...etc. (The comic masks, those especially of old comedy, were as like as possible to true persons they represented, or made to appear more ridiculous)
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Masks of Greek Theater
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Comedy (Servant or Herald ) Tragedy (Weeping Chorus)
Modern-day replicas Hero-King Comedy (Servant or Herald ) Tragedy (Weeping Chorus)
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Major Greek Dramatists
Aeschylus 524 B.C. Seven Against Thebes Sophocles 496 B.C. Antigone Oedipus Euripides 480 B.C. Medea Dramatist Born Wrote
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Sophocles
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Brief Bio Despite the fact that his plays were mostly tragic, Sophocles had a comfortable life. He became famous when he beat Aeschylus at age 28 in an annual competition. He wrote 123 plays in his lifetime; won 24 prizes; wrote for 6 decades He is considered one of the three great ancient Greek tragedians, together with Aeschylus and Euripedes
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Theban Trilogy Sophocles’s famous plays are the Theban plays. It took him 36 years to write. The plays follow a family and their many losses due to prophecy and human will. Antigone was written first (442 BCE); Oedipus the King came second (429 BCE); Oedipus at Colonus was last (406 BCE). However, according to the timeline of the story, Antigone comes last.
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Myths played a key role in Greek drama
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The Myths – Why they were written
Explained the unexplainable Justified religious practices Gave credibility to leaders Gave hope Polytheistic (more than one god); Centered around the twelve Olympians (primary Greek gods)
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Explained the Unexplainable
When Echo tried to get Narcissus to love her, she was denied. Saddened, she shriveled to nothing, her existence melting into a rock. Only her voice remained. Hence, the echo!
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To justify religious practices
Dionysian cults in ancient Greece were founded to worship Dionysus, god of grapes, vegetation, and wine.
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To give credibility to leaders
Used myths to create family trees for their leaders, enforcing the made-up idea that the emperors were related to the gods and were, then, demigods.
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To give hope The ancient citizens of Greece would sacrifice and pray to an ORACLE. An oracle was a priest or priestess who would send a message to the gods from mortals who brought their requests. Where DID hope come from? After unleashing suffering, famine, disease, and many other evils, the last thing Pandora let out was HOPE.
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Oracle of Delphi
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The Oracle of Delphi The Oracle of Delphi, also known as the Pythia, was a religious institution established in 800 BCE in honor of Apollo. Priestesses or priests would reside there, and once a month, they would prophesy. Supplicants would travel to Delphi for advice, be interviewed by the priests, visit with the Oracle and travel back home to put their plan into action.
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Oracle of Delphi
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Delphi
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Polytheistic Religion
Mount Olympus is where the Olympians lived. Who are the Olympians?
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The Olympians Are the 12 Main Gods
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The Olympians
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Zeus King of gods Heaven Storms Thunder lightning
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Poseidon Zeus’s brother King of the sea Earthquakes Horses
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Hades Brother to Zeus and Poseidon King of the Underworld (Tartarus)
Husband of Persphone
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Ares God of war
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Hephaestus God of fire Craftspeople Metalworkers Artisans
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Apollo God of the sun Music Poetry Fine arts Medicine
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Hermes Messenger to the gods Trade Commerce Travelers
Thieves & scoundrels
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Dionysus God of Wine Partying (Revelry)
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Hera Queen of gods Women Marriage Childbirth
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Demeter Goddess of Harvest Agriculture Fertility Fruitfulness
Mom to Persephone
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Hestia Goddess of Hearth Home Community
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Athena Goddess of wisdom Practical arts War
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Aphrodite Goddess of love and beauty
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Artemis Goddess of hunting and the moon.
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The End
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