1. Antigone and Greek Drama Notes

2. Greek Drama Greek drama --honors Dionysus, the god of wine and fertility. Thespis (thespians) transformed hymns sung to gods into songs that told the story of a famous hero. Based on myths.

3. Types of Greek Plays Tragedies were serious treatments of religious and mythic questions. Satyr plays (named for wood demons) were comic and even unruly treatments of the same themes.

4. The Theater The theater was a semi- circular (like football stadium). Actors amplified voices through mouthpieces in their masks.

5. Greek Theater (cont.) All actors men, and the choruses were well-trained boys. By switching masks, each actor could play several roles.

6. Sophocles Sophocles -- generally considered the best of the ancient Greek playwrights. His plays always contain a moral lesson, usually a caution against pride and religious indifference.

7. Sophocles’ Innovations Sophocles added a third actor to the original two. He introduced painted sets. He expanded the size of the chorus to fifteen.

8. Sophocles’ “Theban” Plays These three plays tell the story of Oedipus of Thebes and his family. Oedipus the King Oedipus at Colonus Antigone

9. Antigone Background Since Greek audiences knew the story, suspense came from their knowledge of things the characters did not know: dramatic irony. The audience pitied these characters.

10. Oedipus Myth See handout.

11. Theme of Antigone Conflict in Antigone—individual conscience at odds with established authority—is eternally relevant. When we know that those in power are morally wrong, do we break their laws, or do we collaborate with them by obeying?

12. Tragedy According to Aristotle, tragedy arouses pity and fear in the audience so that we may be cleansed of these unsettling emotions. This idea is known as catharsis, a pleasurable sense of emotional release.

13. Tragic Hero This character is not completely good or bad. His/her misfortune is brought about by some error or frailty, which is the tragic flaw (hamartia) The flaw is often hubris: arrogance caused by excessive pride.

14. Tragic Hero (cont.) The hero’s fall must be from a tremendous height. Because of the tragic flaw, the hero is responsible on some level for his or her downfall.

15. Tragic Hero (cont.) The hero comes to recognize his error and accept the consequences. He is not angry; he is humbled and enlightened.

16. Tragic Hero (cont.) The audience, though, feels that the hero’s punishment exceeds his crime. We see that the hero is flawed like us, and fear for ourselves because he failed.

17. Greek Theater Format Plays opened with a Prologue that presented the background to situate the conflict. The entering chorus sang a parodos, or opening song. The chorus’s song, an ode, divided scenes and served the same purpose as a curtain does. Chorus also provides summary or commentary and sets the mood.

18. The Chorus During the odes, a leader, called the choragos, might exchange thoughts with the group in a dialogue. During that recital, the group would rotate left to right, singing the strophe.

19. The Chorus (cont.) At the end, there was a paean (song of thanks to Dionysos) and an exodos (final exiting scene).

20. Aristotle’s Rules for Tragedy Unities of time, place, & action: Time: The play has to take place within a 24-hour period. e.g. Antigone takes place in “real” time; the audience experiences the action as it unfolds Place: The action of the play is set in one place. Antigone is set in front of the royal palace in Thebes. Action: There is one hero and one plot. The action in Antigone focuses on Antigone’s determination to bury her brother Polyneices and the consequences of her actions.

21. Aristotle’s Rules for Tragedy (cont.) Recognition: As the hero meets his catastrophe, he recognizes his flaw and why he must die. e.g. Creon acknowledges his responsibility for the deaths of his family and confesses he was too proud. Reversal: is the opposite of what the hero intends occurs. e.g. Creon thinks he is doing the right thing by imprisoning Antigone, but this action leads to the suicides of his son and his wife. Hamartia: is the tragic flaw that leads to the tragic hero’s down fall. e.g. Creon’s tragic flaw of holding himself above the prophets and the laws of the gods dooms him. Catharsis: is the release of emotion (pity & fear) from audience’s perspective. e.g. After watching Antigone, the audience will feel pity for the tragic deaths and fear for themselves because if even the “best” in society fall, what future awaits the common man? Hubris: is arrogance before the gods. e.g. Creon’s pride and arrogance cause his downfall.