1. Greek Theater

2. The Greek Theater 5 th Century B. C. Golden Age of Greek Drama Dramatic festivals were popular People witnessed tragic and comic plays

3. Overview of Greek Theatre The land The myths The stage

4. The Land Greece has thousands of inhabited islands and dramatic mountain ranges Greece has a rich culture and history Democracy was founded in Greece Patriarchal (male dominated) society Philosophy, as a practice, began in Greece (Socrates, Plato, Aristotle)

5. The Land Located in Europe in the Aegean Sea

7. The Land

8. Overview of Greek Theatre The land The myths The stage

9. The Stage

10. 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

11. The Stage

12. 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)

13. The Stage

14. 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.

15. Masks of Greek Theater

16. The masks were worn for many reason including: 1. Visibility 2. Acoustic Assistance 3. Few Actors, Many Roles 4. Characterization

17. 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)

19. Masks of Greek Theater

22. Modern-day replicas Hero-King Comedy (Servant or Herald ) Tragedy (Weeping Chorus)

23. Theater at Epidaurus

25. Major Greek Dramatists Aeschylus524 B.C.Seven Against Thebes Sophocles496 B.C.Antigone Oedipus Euripides480 B.C.Medea DramatistBornWrote

26. Sophocles

28. Oedipus Rex There is a plague in Thebes. There is a plague in Thebes. Oedipus requests the reason behind it, and learns that it is due to the death of King Laius, and he finds out that the murderer is in the city. Oedipus requests the reason behind it, and learns that it is due to the death of King Laius, and he finds out that the murderer is in the city. Oedipus swears he will bring the murderer to justice. Oedipus swears he will bring the murderer to justice. Then, the search ensues…filled with riddles, heart- ache, and tragedy. Then, the search ensues…filled with riddles, heart- ache, and tragedy.

29. Greek Comedy and Aristophanes

31. Jason’s Voyage on the Argo Jason and Medea meet Corinth: Where Jason and Medea settle down

32. Overview of Greek Theatre The land The myths The stage

33. Myths played a key role in Greek drama

34. The Myths – Why they were written 1. Explained the unexplainable 2. Justified religious practices 3. Gave credibility to leaders 4. Gave hope 5. Polytheistic (more than one god) 6. Centered around the twelve Olympians (primary Greek gods)

35. 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!

36. To justify religious practices Dionysian cults in ancient Greece were founded to worship Dionysus, god of grapes, vegetation, and wine.

37. Roots in Worship of Dionysus God of wine and revelry

38. 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 fifteen thousand spectators

39. Theater of Dionysus carved out of a stone hillside looked like a semicircle with steeply rising tiers of seats

40. Theater of Dionysus

41. At the bottom was the rounded orchestra or performance area where the chorus sang and danced

42. Dionysus Theater in Athens

43. Theater of Dionysus Behind the orchestra was an open, almost bare, stage where actors spoke their lines from behind huge masks

44. Dionysus Theater in Athens

46. Theater of Dionysus Male actors performed all the roles Actors switched masks to play a number of roles – both female and male

47. Dionysus and Satyrs

48. 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.

49. 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.

50. Oracle of Delphi

52. Delphi

54. Mount Olympus… …Where the Olympians lived. Who are the Olympians?

55. The Olympians Are the 12 Main Gods

56. The Olympians

57. Zeus King of gods Heaven Storms Thunder lightning

58. Poseidon Zeus’s brother King of the sea Earthquakes Horses

59. Hades Brother to Zeus and Poseidon King of the Underworld (Tartarus) Husband of Persphone

60. Ares God of war

61. Hephaestus God of fire Craftspeople Metalworkers Artisans

62. Apollo God of the sun Music Poetry Fine arts Medicine

63. Hermes Messenger to the gods Trade Commerce Travelers Thieves & scoundrels

64. Dionysus God of Wine Partying (Revelry)

65. Hera Queen of gods Women Marriage Childbirth

66. Demeter Goddess of Harvest Agriculture Fertility Fruitfulness Mom to Persephone

67. Hestia Goddess of Hearth Home Community

68. Athena Goddess of wisdom Practical arts War

69. Aphrodite Goddess of love and beauty

70. Artemis Goddess of hunting and the moon.

71. The Storyline

72. Central Character is of the Elite Class

73. Central Character suffers a Downfall

74. Central Character is Neither Wholly good nor wholly evil

75. Downfall is the result of a Fatal Flaw

76. Misfortunes involve characters who are related or who are friends

77. Tragic actions take place offstage

78. Central Character has a moment of recognition

79. Audience experiences pity and fear

80. Pity and Fear leads to a catharsis

81. The End