Western Civilization Greek Theater
The Greek Theater 5th Century B. C. Golden Age of Greek Drama Dramatic festivals were popular People witnessed tragic and comic plays 2
Overview of Greek Theatre The land The myths The stage
The Land Greece has thousands of inhabited islands and dramatic mountain ranges Greece has a rich culture and history Democracy was founded in Greece Patriarchal (male dominated) society Philosophy, as a practice, began in Greece (Socrates, Plato, Aristotle)
Located in Europe in the Aegean Sea The Land Located in Europe in the Aegean Sea
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The Land
Overview of Greek Theatre The land The myths The stage
The Stage
The Stage Three Main Portions of Greek Theatre: Skene – Portion of stage where actors performed (included 1-3 doors in and out) Orchestra – “Dancing Place” where chorus sang to the audience Theatron – Seating for audience
The Stage
The Stage Greek plays were performed during religious ceremonies held in honor of Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and revelry (altars generally on stage) Banks would shut down for days, people would travel from all around to see the drama competitions—even prisoners were temporarily released to see the plays Tragedy means “goat song” (relates to Dionysian rituals)
The Stage
Where and how were the dramas performed? …In an amphitheatre …With a chorus who described most of the action. …With masks …With all the fighting and movement going on off stage. ….With tragedy first, then comedy later.
Masks of Greek Theater
The masks were worn for many reason including: 1. Visibility 2. Acoustic Assistance 3. Few Actors, Many Roles 4. Characterization
Some general categories of masks 1. OLD MEN Smooth-Faced, White, Grizzled, Black-Haired, Flaxen and More Flaxen 2. YOUNG MEN Common, Curled, More Curled, Graceful, Horrid, Pale and Less Pale 3. SLAVES Leathern, Peaked-Beard, Flat Nose 4. WOMEN Freed Old Woman, Old Domestic, Middle Aged, Leathern, Pale-Disheveled, Pale Middle Aged, Whorish-Disheveled, Virgin, Girl 5. SPECIALIST MASKS Some made for specific characters, others for: Mourning, Blindness, Deceit, Drunkenness...etc. (The comic masks, those especially of old comedy, were as like as possible to true persons they represented, or made to appear more ridiculous)
Masks of Greek Theater
Masks of Greek Theater
Comedy (Servant or Herald ) Tragedy (Weeping Chorus) Modern-day replicas Hero-King Comedy (Servant or Herald ) Tragedy (Weeping Chorus)
Theater at Epidaurus
Theater at Epidaurus
Major Greek Dramatists Aeschylus 524 B.C. Seven Against Thebes Sophocles 496 B.C. Antigone Oedipus Euripides 480 B.C. Medea Dramatist Born Wrote
Sophocles’ Antigone Set in Thebes (a city in ancient Greece) Antigone is the daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta Antigone’s brothers, Eteokles and Polyneces, took opposite sides in a war Eteokles and Polyneces killed each other in battle Antigone’s uncle, Kreon, became king of Thebes
Sophocles
Overview of Greek Theatre The land The myths The stage
Myths played a key role in Greek drama
The Myths – Why they were written Explained the unexplainable Justified religious practices Gave credibility to leaders Gave hope Polytheistic (more than one god) Centered around the twelve Olympians (primary Greek gods)
Explained the Unexplainable When Echo tried to get Narcissus to love her, she was denied. Saddened, she shriveled to nothing, her existence melting into a rock. Only her voice remained. Hence, the echo!
To justify religious practices Dionysian cults in ancient Greece were founded to worship Dionysus, god of grapes, vegetation, and wine.
Roots in Worship of Dionysus God of wine and revelry
Theater of Dionysus Dionysia was an annual festival in honor of the god Dionysus Theater of Dionysus was an open-air Theater with room for fifteen thousand spectators 35
carved out of a stone hillside Theater of Dionysus carved out of a stone hillside looked like a semicircle with steeply rising tiers of seats 36
Theater of Dionysus 37
Theater of Dionysus At the bottom was the rounded orchestra or performance area where the chorus sang and danced 38
Dionysus Theater in Athens
Theater of Dionysus Behind the orchestra was an open, almost bare, stage where actors spoke their lines from behind huge masks 40
Dionysus Theater in Athens
Dionysus Theater in Athens
Theater of Dionysus Male actors performed all the roles Actors switched masks to play a number of roles – both female and male 43
Dionysus and Satyrs
To give credibility to leaders Used myths to create family trees for their leaders, enforcing the made-up idea that the emperors were related to the gods and were, then, demigods.
To give hope The ancient citizens of Greece would sacrifice and pray to an ORACLE. An oracle was a priest or priestess who would send a message to the gods from mortals who brought their requests. Where DID hope come from? After unleashing suffering, famine, disease, and many other evils, the last thing Pandora let out was HOPE.
Oracle of Delphi
Oracle of Delphi
Delphi
Delphi
Mount Olympus… …Where the Olympians lived. Who are the Olympians?
The Olympians Are the 12 Main Gods
The Olympians
Zeus King of gods Heaven Storms Thunder lightning
The Storyline
Central Character is of the Elite Class
Central Character suffers a Downfall
Central Character is Neither Wholly good nor wholly evil
Downfall is the result of a Fatal Flaw
Misfortunes involve characters who are related or who are friends
Tragic actions take place offstage
Central Character has a moment of recognition
Audience experiences pity and fear
Pity and Fear leads to a catharsis
The End