1. Greek Theater Notes

4. Ancient Greeks held ceremonies to honor the gods In one ceremony, to honor the god Dionysus, a group of chanters called a chorus danced around an altar upon which a goat was sacrificed. These ceremonies evolved into dramatic contests with written plays. www.clevelandart.org/exhibcef/ mg/html/6269124.html The members of the chorus were called the “goat singers” and their ritualistic chant was called the tragos seido or “goat song.”

5.  Who? Average citizens  What? Performances  When? c. 500 B.C.  Where? Greece

6. Why ? ? ? ? To worship the gods Greeks worshipped their gods by performing on religious holidays One of these celebrations paid tribute to Dionysus, God of Fertility, Wine and Rebirth homepage.mac.com/cparada/GML/

7. The Festival of Dionysus Each year three playwrights were chosen to present 3 tragedies and 1 satyr play (comedy) in the festival competition The Festival was held in Athens, Greece each Spring www.culture.fr/culture/arcnat/ vienne/en/theatre3.htm www.culture.fr/culture/arcnat/ vienne/en/theatre3.htm

8. Three major Greek playwrights Aeschylus These three men were often the playwrights chosen to present their plays.  Prometheus Bound Euripedes  Medea Sophocles  Oedipus Rex

9. The Festival of Dionysus is considered the birthplace of true tragedy.

10. Common Themes of Greek Theatre  Man’s Relationship to the Gods and the Universe  Limits of knowledge  Moral responsibility  Human suffering

11. The Structure of Greek Tragedy Prologos (1 st episode) 2 nd Episode Ode (strophe and antistrophe) 3 rd Episode 4 th Episode Exodos (5 th episode) Greek plays begin in medias res, in the middle of things, and build toward a climactic ending with alternating episodes and odes. Odes feature the chorus explaining or reflecting on the action of the play. Episodes carry the plot forward. The action of the play occurs here.

12. Chorus The chorus traveled back and forth across the stage narrating the story in chants and dance. The leader of the chorus was called the choragos. Strophe and Antistrophe Stanzas delivered as chorus moved first in one, then in the opposite direction. Choruses originally contained 50 actors, but Aeschylus reduced the number to around 12.

13. Tragedy According to philosopher Aristotle, tragedy is… a dramatic representation of an action, severe, which evokes pity and fear and leads to a catharsis in the audience. In order for a play to be considered a tragedy, the audience must be led to feel a catharsis. A central figure in evoking this catharsis is the main character, or tragic hero.

14. The tragic hero…  is a man of Arête noble stature, or high estate  who possesses Hamartia  which causes his Perepeteia  but leads to his Anagnorisis. some error of judgment reversal of fortune ultimate discovery or recognition The most common hamartia, or tragic flaw is hubris, excessive pride.