1. Ancient Greek Plays
How did they originate?

2. Ancient Greece Background
Ancient Greece Religion
Believed gods took an active interest in human affairs – successes were viewed as the sign of divine favor while problems and failures were interpreted as the result of divine anger.
Plague
Killed 1/3 population
Victims were “seized first with strong fevers, redness and burning of the eyes, and expelled an unusually foul breath.” Next came “sneezing, hoarseness, a powerful cough, and every kind of bilious vomiting.”

3. Ancient Greece Background
Oracle of Apollo at Delphi
Oracle believed to speak for Apollo and communicate the will of Zeus (Apollo was Zeus’ son)
Prophets
“Seer” was taught to be capable of interpreting signs of what was to come.
Exile
Means you are sent away for an amount of time. You cannot have any connection with your home or people in the town.
Standard punishment for unintentional murder
Fate
Each person has a fate assigned to him or her.
A person who seeks to overstep his or her fate would be guilty of hubris, or pride.

4. Elements of a Tragedy Tragedy Hero/ Heroine-
“Tragedy” reflects this purpose – comes from the Greek word for “goat” (the goat was regarded as a sacred animal to Dionysus.)
Aristotle – Oedipus Rex as the model of a perfectly made tragedy – “an imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude”
Triggers 2 emotions: pity and terror
Hero/ Heroine-
Conflict with the Divine (Gods and Goddess)
Physical or Spiritual maiming (injury)
Attempt to circumvent fate
Position of power (noble)
Tragic Flaw

5. Elements of a Tragedy Chorus Seer Audience
No positional power (citizens)
Peripheral to main interactions (on the sidelines)
Effected by main interactions
Summarizes and emphasizes events in the play
Looks at point of view
Seer
Old
Wise
Humane
Audience
Knows the story
Interacts via pity and fear

6. Tragedies are tragic because
Plot mirrors life (realistic)
The hero experiences a downfall (reversal of fortune)
The audience brings fear/ pity
There is an eventual role reversal/ acceptance of responsibility

7. DRAMATIC TERMS Play - Story told through dialogue.
Drama - Tragedy, explored society questions.
Dramatic Form – actual written script.
Dramatic Structure – the way the action of a play is arranged.
Dramatic Irony – When the audience knows something but the characters don’t.
Theme – Message, lesson, moral of the play.
Tragos – tragic downfall
Hubris – excessive pride
Tragedy – unhappy ending; explores society questions.