The Origin of Greek Drama religious celebration song
The Origin of Greek Drama § religious celebration § song and dance § dancing choruses § sang hymns of praise to the god § competing for prizes
The Worship of Dionysus § Dionysus: --- a vegetation deity especially associated with the vine --- wine --- freedom and ecstatic joy --- savage brutality § Dionysus vs. Apollo: ---the two struggling forces in human nature
The Rise of Greek Drama In late the sixth century BCE, the Athenians converted the rural celebration of Dionysus into an annual city festival ---dancing choruses competing for prizes the appearance of a masked actor: --- probably by Thepis --- playing a god or hero, engaged the chorus in dialogue
The Rise of Greek Drama the adding up of a second actor: --- Aeschylus the creator of tragedy --- an important breakthrough: the possibility of conflict ---the prototype of drama
The Rise of Greek Drama § The appearance of the third actor § Sophocles § A further step toward the maturity of Greek drama
The Rise of Greek Drama § the more sophisticated form --- time: 5 th century BC --- Dionysia
The Maturity of Greek Drama § Time & place: late March in Athens § Play competition: --- 3 days --- 3 tragic poets selected earlier present a tetralogy: 3 tragedies and a satyr play
Historical Background § The defeat of the Persian invaders (480479 BC) § Location: only in Athens--the supreme power in the Greek world
The Structure of Play Production § the poet’s various jobs: --- playwright --- production --- casting (actors; chorus; musicians) --- music composing
The Structure of Play Production § § The mature form: 3 actors with chorus subject matter: mythology § § drawback: no suspense strength or feature: the poet’s interpretation of the character and the event
The structure of theater § big size--sits 17000 people § good acoustic § structure: --- costumes: masks and elaborate costumes --- actors: male, competent singers/dancers
The structure of theater § Orchēstra: dancing area § Skēnē: a wooden building on the platform § Ekkuklēma: trolley (thing that rolls out) § Mechanē: (machine or device) a pulley system that allowed for the appearance and disappearance of actors in the air, above the Skēnē building.
The pattern of dialogue Agon (“contest”; “struggle”): one character makes a long, sometimes legalistic speech , arguing a particular case, and a second character replies with another speech, putting the case against. Stichomythia (“line-speech”): characters speak just a single line each—a fast-paced exchange
The chorus § Members: 12 or 15 masked dancers; only the leader had a speaking role
The role of the chorus § 1) Often a group of local inhabitants -----Representing the voice of the ordinary person or the word on the street; frequently fails to get things right § 2) An internal audience: the revelation of inner thoughts § 3) characters themselves
The role of the chorus § 4) broadening the perspective of events: take us back in time or tracing parallels between this story and others § 5) reflecting on the ethical, theological, and metaphysical implications of the events at hand § Providing a break from the main narrative, a switch to an entirely different mood or perspective
The role of the chorus § Choral songs can increase the dramatic tension or surprise, as when a cheerful, optimistic song is followed by a disaster
A basic code § Little visible horror
Greek religious philosophy § Athenians of this age saw no necessary connection between religion and morality.
The Theater § the costs: ---sponsored by appointed wealthy citizen § admission: ---originally free, later on charged; the poor sponsored by government
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