Antigone An introduction to Greek tragedy Sophocles the

Antigone An introduction to Greek tragedy: Sophocles, the structure of the play and stage, and major themes

Introduction to Tragedy �When you hear the word “tragedy”, what comes to mind? �How is the word “tragedy” used in our society? �Make a list in your notebooks

Tragedy �Tragedy in drama is a form of art based on human suffering �The Fab Four of Tragedy: Sophocles, Aeschylus, Euripides, Shakespeare

What Makes Tragedy a Tragedy? “Death is not tragic in itself, not the death of the beautiful and the young, the lovely, and beloved. Death felt and suffered as Macbeth feels and suffers is tragic…The conflicting claims of law of God and the law of man are not what make the tragedy of the Antigone. It is Antigone herself, so great, so tortured. ” --Edith Hamilton

The Cycle of Tragedy �Pity: “Innocent” characters punished �Awe: Shock at the descent �Reconciliation: Acceptance of fate �Exaltation: A high ending (the light at the end of the tunnel) or moral of the story

History of Greek Drama �Greek plays were originally in homage to Dionysus, god of spring and vintage (wine) �Originally, group recitations �Groups of 50 would sing, a leader would recite �Focus on reciting more than singing

History of Greek Drama �Eventually, 2 -3 reciting, chorus shrinks to 12 -15 men �Only 3 characters at a time allowed on stage �In the orchestra, the chorus stood �The chorus set the atmosphere, responded to scenes, etc.

The Chorus �Links the actors, action and audience �Explains events �Models reactions

Performing Greek Drama �Greeks gathered for dawn to dusk festivals �Several plays were presented in a competition �Actors wore elaborate costumes and masks with wide mouths �Masks made from wood, leather, cloth and flour paste

Performing Greek Drama �Semi-circle theatres, 18 K seats �Good acoustics �Gestures had to be wide and broad to be seen �Violence occurs off-stage

Ruins of a Greek theatre

Masks for Greek drama

Sophocles � 496 -406 BC(E) �Born in Athens, Golden Age �Grew up during Persian Wars �Popular politically, loyal to Athens �Had two sons, 1 became a playwright

Sophocles �Wrote 123 plays �Won 24 festivals, placed 2 nd in all others �We only have 7 of his plays today: Ajax, Antigone, The Women of Trachis, Oedipus the King, Electra, Philoctetes, Oedipus at Colonus

Tragedy Vocabulary �Prologue: a song sung by a Greek chorus as they enter �Ode: elaborate lyrical poetry made up of a strophe, antistrophe, and epode �Strophe: (lit. “a turning”) �Antistrophe: answers the strophe

Tragedy Vocabulary �Epode: concludes the ode �Paean: a song of praise �Exodos: the exit scene of a Greek drama �Anagnorisis: a moment when a character makes a recognition or discovery of truth

Tragedy Vocabulary �Catharsis: a release of emotional tension �Deus ex machina: (lit. a god from a machine) a sudden solution to an impossible situation �Peripeteia: a sudden change in fortune or circumstances

Tragedy Vocabulary �Hamartia: a tragic flaw leading to a downfall �Hubris: excessive pride leading to a downfall

Themes in Antigone �Natural Law v. Man-made law ◦ Laws created by humans are pitted against laws that depend on family and the gods �Civil Disobedience ◦ Breaking the law for a principle, usu. in a non-violent way

Themes in Antigone �Family Loyalty ◦ Obligations to dead family members ◦ Obligations to living family �Fate v. Free Will ◦ Do we decide our future or is it decided for us?

Where Antigone Begins �Antigone is the daughter of Oedipus, former king of Thebes �Oedipus lived a cursed life, having killed his father and marrying his mother (Iocaste) unknowingly

Where Antigone Begins �Oedipus and Iocaste’s children: ◦ Antigone & Ismene, sisters ◦ Eteocles & Polyneices, brothers �Eteocles & Polyneices are prophesied to kill each other in a battle for the throne of Thebes

Where Antigone Begins �Antigone arrives in Thebes �The brothers are dead �Eteocles is given a proper, military funeral �Creon, King of Thebes & Antigone’s uncle, declares Polyneices a traitor �No funeral can be held for him

Works Cited Denault, Leigh T. “Drama: The Greek Theatre and Three Athenian Tragedians: Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides. ” The Glory That Was Greece: History and Culture in Ancient Athens. 2003. 2 May. 2009. <http: //www. watson. org/~leigh/ drama. html> Didaskalia. “Introduction to Greek Stagecraft. ” Didaskalia. 2002. 2 May 2009. <www. didaskalia. net/studyarea/greekstagecr aft. html> Hamilton, Edith. The Greek Way. New York: Time Incorporated, 1963.