Cult of Dionysus Maenad Satyr Dionysus Greek theatres

Cult of Dionysus Maenad Satyr Dionysus

• Greek theatres developed over time • Every seat had a decent view • Most were situated overlooking scenic views • Every Greek polis (city state) had one • Always used for dramatic performances • Sometimes used for democratic assemblies • All eventually made of stone • Acoustically constructed so that a whisper could be heard in every seat • Orchestra: circular space where the chorus stood in front of the main action on the stage • Skene: Originally a tent it became the stage on which the principal actors stood

Theatre of Dionysus: Athens Theatre at Epidaurus

Theatre at Epidavros Eisodos Orchestra Skene Altar in centre Stone banked seating Exodos

Theatre at Epidavros Plan

Origins of Greek Drama • Early Greek drama was simply religious dance • Later stories concerning the festival were added to the dances – City Dionysia chorus of satyrs • A principal actor was then used to speak to the audience in between choral dances - Thespis • One actor became two and then three allowing for more complicated stories • The chorus leader often conversed with the actors while moralizing on the story separately • Sophocles added scenery and scenes

Masks were worn by actors to convey different emotions of a character Also to show different characters Men only were the actors Masks rather than costumes were the elaborate designs in a tragedy, less so in comedy

Types of Drama • Tragedy – Primarily mythical stories teaching a moral lesson to the audience through the main character’s reactions to events & people • Comedy – Wide ranging between contemporary political satire to mythical stories given a humorous slant. Often very coarse humour. • Satyr plays – Farces and burlesque versions of myths involving half goat Satyrs, coarse language & gestures • Dithyrambs – Chorus dances set to music on some mythical theme

Dramatic devices • Greek theatres had two pieces of machinery • Mechane – A crane that swung characters around the skene into view above the stage • It was used to present gods often appearing to solve otherwise insoluble problems • It gave rise to the term deus ex machina • Ekkyklema – A mini stage wheeled into the orchestra through the central door of the skene • Off stage events were presented to the audience, actors and chorus in the form of a tableau • Other props such as statues or altars would be on the skene • There was no curtain

Tragedy- Song of the Goat

The Tragedians Aeschylus Sophocles Euripides

Tragedy structure • • Prologue introducing the action Parados – entry of the chorus from the parados Episodes – scenes of action central to plot Stasima – Chorus songs separating the three or more episodes and relating to action or moralising to audience with mythical references • Exodos – closing, usually moralizing, song of the chorus – in Euripides’ plays it is often given by the principal cathartic character

Tragic Devices • Mimesis – simulated representation on stage allows the audience to appreciate the drama • Catharsis – a ritual cleansing that the hero has to go through to be absolved of his crimes • Anagnorisis – recognition by the hero of what has occurred (often involving gods’ will) – usually needed to allow catharsis to happen • Peripeteia – reversal of fortune: the hero has to suffer to then achieve anagnorisis & catharsis • Hubris – pride or arrogance leading to speech or action against the gods which is punished

Greek Comedy Old Comedy – Crude, political, toilet humour, sexual jokes, gods on stage, crazy costumes, animals personified, satire Old Comedy New Comedy Aristophanes Menander New (& Roman) Comedy – Everyday situations, family drama, clever slaves vs. stupid masters, lovers separated, young men pursuing women, household situations, few political comments