Euripides Creator of Medea Greek Tragedians n Three

Euripides Creator of Medea

Greek Tragedians n Three great Greek Tragedians Aeschylus n Sophocles n Euripides n

Euripides Born between 485 and 480 BC n Some say he was born at Salamis, on the day of the victory of the Athenians over the Persians n ‘Bad Boy’ of Greek tragedy n Uses myths of Greece as his source, he transformed epic heroes into men of flesh and blood n

Euripides Knew he was a great artist and continues to be one to this day n Judges of the Dionysia (festival honoring Gods) favored others that are now only footnotes in history n This frustration became the fuel for his art n His work would not be the same without the sense of loss and injustice he himself went through n

Euripides He question authority n Fascinated by the oppressed (social dysfunctional): women, barbarians, and slaves n He gives these people voices to be heard n Died in 406 BC n

Greek Theater n n Plays were performed twice a year at the Festival of Dionysus in Athens Playwrights would compete for “best play” Plays were religious events, not just entertainment Theaters could seat up to 17, 000 people and employed sophisticated sound systems, elaborate scenery, costumes and masks, and choreographed dancing to heighten the spectacle

Greek Theater n n All actors were men Only three actors and the chorus are on stage at any one time, and actors used masks to change character

Greek Theater Orchestra: a level space where the chorus would dance, sing, and interact with the actors n Theatron: “Viewing place” where the spectators sat n Skene: the building directly behind the stage and was usually decorated as a palace, temple, or other building. It had at least one set of doors, and actors could make entrances and exits through them n

Greek Theater