Origins of the Greek Theater

GREEK TRAGEDY

ORIGINS OF THE GREEK THEATER

·  Theater of Dionysus

Began as dance worship of Dionysus (god of wine and fertility)

Developed into God of Tragedy

Use of primitive, violent, strong visual effects

·  Origins

Primitive rituals Religious festivals

Mourning at a hero’s tomb by a large group

Panhellenic festivals

·  Festivals held twice a year: Jan/Feb – wine press

March/April – spring & rebirth

Spectacles led to dramatic stories about myths

Began as chorus of 50 people chanting

·  Dramatic Competitions

Cycle of dramatic performances

Each author submitted 4 plays (3 tragedies and 1 comedy)

·  Early Playwrights

Thespis –

Aeschylus –

Sophocles –

Euripides –

CHARACTERISTICS OF GREEK TRAGEDY

Aristotle’s Definition: the imitation of some tragic, realistic action that will arouse pity and fear in the viewer and so purge him of an accumulation of conflicting emotions. This purging of emotions is termed catharsis.

Dramatic Unities

Time –

Place –

Action –

Function of the Chorus – spoke ODES in unison

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

(All actors were men)

Masks

Use –

Common construction –

Pattern of a Tragedy

A tragedy involves a ______when the ______experiences a ______; he (or she) falls from a position of importance. The protagonist or the ______

struggles against his ______and questions himself and humanity. The tragic hero finally achieves ______or self recognition (finally sees the truth about himself). At this point the tragic hero experiences his ______and the audience experiences ______.

Characters in Greek Tragedy

Tragic hero

Antagonist

Messenger

Themes and Motifs in Greek Tragedy

Man vs. the gods

Destiny vs. Free Will

Responsibility and Freedom (role of the ruler)

Hubris (excessive pride)

Humans are born to suffer

Sight, Vision, and Truth

Vows and Curses

Loss of Rationality

Riddles

Main Elements or Divisions of Tragedy – the repeated pattern

1.  Prologue –

2.  Parodus –

3.  Episode –

4.  Stasimon –

5.  Exodus

Greek Drama Terms ( Memorize!)

1.  Hamartia

2.  Peripetia

3.  Anagnorsis

4.  Hubris

5.  Catharsis

6.  Dramatic Irony

7.  Deus ex Machina

Greek Names

Phoebus Apollo

Delphi

Oracle

THE THEBAN LEGEND

The Theban Legend:

Oedipus’ Family Tree

Key Fun Facts:

1.  ______was the kind of government that Athens was developing.

2.  Sophocles is the master of ______.

3.  List the three plays in the order THEY WERE WRITTEN:

List the three plays in CHRONOLOGICAL order:

4. Sophocles’s masterpiece is ______written in

______B.C.

5. Sophocles wrote ______plays; _____ survive today.