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GREEK DRAMA. Background for Oedipus Rex and Antigone 10th grade English Mrs. Duke Edited and Added to by Mrs. Russell. How did drama begin? . Traveling groups sang about myths and legends. Playwrights decided to write down the stories in a form that could be acted out.
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GREEK DRAMA Background for Oedipus Rex and Antigone 10th grade English Mrs. Duke Edited and Added to by Mrs. Russell
How did drama begin? • Traveling groups sang about myths and legends. • Playwrights decided to write down the stories in a form that could be acted out. • Playwright acts out the play by himself 1st actor- Thespis 534 B.C. • Aeschylus (525-456 B.C.), added the second actor, so there was interaction. • Sophocles added a third actor.
Sophocles (496-406 B.C.) • Abolished the “trilogic form” • Each play could be a complete entity in itself • Responsible for the invention of scene painting and “periaktoi”- a three-sided revolving apparatus painted with scenery and used at each side of the stage.
Sophocles • Wrote 100-120 plays; seven have survived in their entirety • Wrote the “Theben Plays” • Oedipus the King (Oedipus Rex) • Oedipus at Colonus • Antigone
“DIONYSIA” • Religious event held in the spring of each year • Festival honoring the Greek god, Dionysus • Play competitions held at the Theater of Dionysus at Athens (TDA) • Audience would cast stone ballots to vote for the winner
Play competitions • 3 playwrights chosen to perform three tragedies and one satire each • Satire--humorous play about the three tragedies just presented • A SATYR PLAY IS A FARCICAL, OFTEN BAWDY PARODY OF THE GODS AND THEIR MYTHS. • Lasted three days, sunrise to sunset • Each playwright presented on one day • At the end of the third day, a laurel wreath and a cash award was given to the winning playwright.
Winners • Aeschylus and Sophocles won the most competitions. Sophocles won at least 20 times. • Euripides (480-406 B.C.), while winning less competitions, foreshadowed the ultimate form of drama as we know it -- employing a far more naturalistic or human approach in his works, in contrast to the remote scale and formalized conventions used by his contemporaries.
Comedies • Aristophanes (448-380 B.C.) and Menander (342-292 B.C.) were the greatest comic writers. • A separate competition for comedy which, while also dedicated to Dionysus, took place at the smaller winter festival, rather than the major spring festival at which the tragedies were presented. • These were dependent on topical humor and satire for much of their content, and have not survived the ages as well as tragedies -- which deal with more universal themes.
One of two gods of the earth along with Demeter • God of poetry, drama, the song, and wine • Son of Zeus and Semele (or Persephone)
Worshipped by a religious cult • Believed to be able to take the form of animals to be sacrificed • Worshipped during the festival and given credit for being able to have drama He was believed to have died every winter and revived every spring.
Structure of the Greek theater--THEATER • Outdoor stadium--3,000 spectators – the largest ultimately held twenty thousand people • Theatron--“the seeing place”-- was audience seating • Orchestra--circular area for the chorus • Skene building--building used for dressing, entering and exiting the performance area
Theatron • Located on a sloped surface, usually a hillside • Half or semi-circle • Contained wooden or stone benches built into the hillside • Patrons looked down onto the performance area • Segregated seating • Patrons were from ALL classes
Orchestra • A flat, circular area where the chorus stood • Separated from the audience by a stone retaining wall • Contained a Thymele in the center of the circle (an altar to Dionysus) • Chorus proceeded to the orchestra by way of the parados
Skene • Flat-roofed scene building • Temporary construction of wood, later became permanent • Located across the rear of the orchestra circle • Used as a dressing area for actors
The Greek Theater skene thymele paragos theatron orchestra
The Greek Theater Theater of Dionysus in Athens, Greece
Theater--Machinery used • Trap door on the skene--divinities could appear on the roof • Mechane--a crane supported by a large stone that allowed characters to “fly” • Ekkyklema--”thing which rolls out”--low rolling platform used to display dead bodies or to wheel out characters who were ill
Who acted out the plays? • “Hypocrits”=Actors, role players • Actor and playwright were originally the same • Never have more than three hypocrits • All male performers--played female roles also
Costumes • Long flowing robes, often with vertical stripes • Oversized and well-padded • High boots with raised soles or stilts • Colors were symbolic
Masks • Made of linen, wood, or cork • “Larger than life” • Identified age, gender, emotion • Exaggerated features-large eyes, open mouth • Amplified sound
Masks • Made of linen, wood, or cork • “Larger than life” • Identified age, gender, emotion • Exaggerated features-large eyes, open mouth • Amplified sound
Masks • Made of linen, wood, or cork • “Larger than life” • Identified age, gender, emotion • Exaggerated features-large eyes, open mouth • Amplified sound
Masks • Made of linen, wood, or cork • “Larger than life” • Identified age, gender, emotion • Exaggerated features-large eyes, open mouth • Amplified sound
Chorus • Contained 15 men who chanted and danced • Choragos--the spokesman or leader of the chorus • Commented on the action of the play and interpreted its meaning for the audience in chants and odes
Function of the Chorus • Sets the overall mood and expresses theme • Adds beauty (theatrical effectiveness) through song and expressive dance • Gives background information • Divides action and offers reflections on events • Questions, advises, expresses opinion (choragos)
Chorus Location of the chorus
Structure of a Greek Tragedy • Prologue – exposition – provides background information to set up the conflict • Parados – entrance of the chorus with the opening choral ode • Episodes – scenes • Stasima – choral odes • Paean– song to Dionysus • Exodus – action after the last stasimon, final scene
Odes • Poems chanted that were used to conclude each scene • Musical accompaniment--flute, lyre, percussion • Also called stasima (stasimon) • Epode-final stanza
Paean • Song/Poem of thanksgiving to Dionysus • Given just before the exodus (final scene)
Conventions of Greek Drama • Convention = agreement between artist and audience • MESSENGER • Tells news happenings away from the scene • Reports acts of violence not allowed to be seen onstage
Conventions of Greek Drama • “STAGE DECENCIES” • No violent action in front of the audience • Scenes of horror occur off-stage and are reported to audience • Dialogue or messenger report
Limitations of the Theater • Continuous presence of the chorus “on-stage” • No intermissions, continuous flow of action and choral odes • No lighting • no curtains
Aristotle's Six Elements of Drama • 1. Plot (the incidents or story line) • 2. Character (physical, social, psychological, moral--people represented in the play) • 3. Thought/Theme (insights into humanity and life • 4. Music (all sound) • 5. Spectacle (scenery and other visual elements) • 6. Diction/language (the dialogue and poetry)
Conventions of Greek Drama • UNITIES – a way of providing a central focus to a play. Aristotle believed perfect tragedies had: • Unity of Action – simple plot with no mixture of tragedy and comedy • Unity of Time – single day • Unity of Place – one location of scenes
For More About Greek Drama: • The Glory that was Greece • Greek Drama and Culture • Greek Drama • Aristotle • Ancient Theatre • Greek Theatre • Dr. J's Illustrated Greek Theater