Introduction to Greek Drama English II Mrs Patterson

Introduction to Greek Drama English II Mrs. Patterson

Origin of Drama l Drama was developed by the ancient Greeks during celebrations honoring Dionysus. l Dionysus is the god of the vine, which produces grapes for wine. Wine was associated with resurrection and suffering. l With the inclusion of many choral songs, the early Greek plays resembled what we call opera today.

Festival of Dionysus l The Festival of Dionysus took place in Athens over the course of five days in March or April. l During the first day, the Greeks held a procession honoring Dionysus in which all citizens participated. l During the festival’s second day, the choral songs were performed. l On the last three days of the festival, the actors performed three tragedies, one satyr (satire – mock heroic tragedies) play, and one comedy.

Festival of Dionysus l The archon, a state official, selected three poets to compete for the prizes in the tragedy division. l The choregus, a wealthy, prominent citizen of Athens, was required by law to pay for the cost of training and costumes for the chorus. l A jury of 10 citizens selected the winning poet l The playwright served as a sort of teacher, offering plays for the ethical and moral improvement of his fellow citizens to insure the spiritual survival of the community.

The Greek Theatre l Theatron = area of seats for the audience hollowed out from the hillside l Orchestra = large area in front of the stage where the chorus sang and danced l Thymele = the altar centered in the orchestra used for sacrifices to Dionysus l Parados = walled walkway used by the chorus to enter and exit the stage l Pro-scenium = a long, low stage behind the orchestra l Skene = building that contained the actors’ dressing rooms

The Greek Theatre was similar to an outdoor stadium that could hold between 15, 000 – 20, 000 people.

The Greek Theatre

Greek Theater

Greek Theater

Greeks’ Special Effects l There were no curtains, intermissions, lights, or microphones. l Consequently, all scenes took place in daylight settings, all scene changes had to be built into the actor’s dialogue, and the chorus and actors had to have strong voices. l Deus ex machina (meaning: “god from the machine”) = type of crane used for suspending figures who portrayed gods. l Eccylema = moveable or revolving platform.

Greeks’ Special Effects

The Actors l The Greek name for an actor was “hypocrite. ” l As there were only 3 actors, they wore masks to play multiple parts. l All actors were men, because it was considered undignified for women to appear on stage l Actors wore padded costumes, wigs, and high-heeled boots to make them taller and give them added dignity and power. l Actors had to be able to speak in poetic language and sing using a loud and clear voice.

The Chorus l The chorus was led by a conductor and consisted of singers and dancers who moved and sang together, acting as one character. l. A Choral Ode was chanted or sung in unison. l Originally, they Chorus started out with 50 people, but Sophocles fixed the number at 15.

The Chorus l The playwright used the chorus and their songs to: l Add the beauty of song and dance. l Set the mood or express the main themes of the play by commenting on the action. l Create a bridge between the actors and the audience. l Converse with and give advice to the actors. l Tell about events that have already happened in the past. l Foretell actors. the future by interpreting the actions of the

The Stories l Originally, the stories were hymns and prayers honoring the gods, especially Dionysus. l Over time, the content of the stories changed to legends of Greek leaders and heroes.

Tragedy l In a tragedy, the plot revealed what happened to a person who went against the laws of the gods or who was too proud l This stems from the Greek belief that man was subject to the whims of the gods and fate. l The root of Greek tragedy is that man can not avoid suffering. l In nearly all tragedies, man’s biggest fault is excessive pride – a mistaken belief that he could somehow avoid fate or the will of the gods.

Greek Tragic Hero l The Greek tragic hero had to be a man or woman capable of great suffering l The tragic hero is brought to disaster by hamartia, or a single flaw in a person’s character.

Hubris l Hubris is defined as excessive pride. l l Hubris leaves leads to suffering and then to an understanding (catharsis) of man’s place in the system of life. l l Think of at least three modern examples of characters whose downfall is caused by their hubris. Catharsis is an emotional release caused by an intense emotional experience. The purpose of a Greek tragedy is to learn a lesson through the catastrophes that befall the characters on stage and to understand that their misfortunes are a result of not following the will of the Gods or trying to avoid their own destinies because of hubris.

Structure of a Greek Tragedy 1. Prologue – the actors present the opening situation on stage 2. Parados – the entering song and dance of the chorus 3. Episodes – periods of more action by the actors 4. Stasima/Stasimon – choral ode or song commenting on the action 5. Exodus – the last action of the play