Origins of Greek Theatre

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Presentation transcript:

Origins of Greek Theatre

Early Greek Theatre Focused on Athens in 5th century B.C.E. Athens’ population ~ 150,000 “Wow! That’s a long time ago. What’s still around now?” 43 full plays Many play fragments and titles Aristotle’s Poetics – literary criticism that defined theatre Ruins of many theatres

Theatre Space Semicircle of steeply rising tiers of seats Bottom was rounded orchestra, where the chorus sang and danced Behind orchestra was open, almost bare stage with several entrances Actors wore large masks, often decorated to suggest character types (king, messenger, prophet, nurse) Deus ex machina – god in a machine

Theatre of Dionysus - Athens

Theatre of Dionysus - now

Four Main Playwrights Aeschylus Aristophanes (comedy) Sophocles The Persians, Seven against Thebes, The Suppliants, Prometheus Bound, and The Oresteia: Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers and The Eumenides, Aristophanes (comedy) The Acharnians (425 BC) The Knights (424 BC) The Birds (414 BC) Lysistrata (411 BC) The Frogs Sophocles Ajax, Trachinian Women, Electra, Philoctetes, Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone, Euripides Alcestis, Medea, Electra, and The Bacchae. Sophocles

What Was Theatre? A religious ceremony Each region dedicated performances to god or goddess (like a religious mascot) Performance was a sacrifice/offering to that god Athens dedicated its productions to Dionysus, god of fertility, agriculture, wine, and sexuality Earliest “theatrical performance” was dithyramb Dance/chant fertility ritual Told the story of the birth of Dionysus Performed during a festival each year called orgia First written versions of appeared about 600 B.C. Religious events slowly evolved into more secular events that would appeal to a diverse audience

From Orgia to Tragedy Slowly theatrical performances evolved from the dithyramb into more secular theatre Became less focused on Dionysus Can be explained like this: Dionysus (chaos, passion, emotion) + Apollo (order, art, discipline) = TRAGEDY By fifth century B.C.E., transformation or synthesis of theatre had been completed, thus beginning Classical Period of Greek Theatre.

Structure of Greek Tragedy Characters One protagonist and a few key characters Chorus – onlookers and commentators – a collective “actor”, speak in choral odes or songs Formal arrangement of parts Prologue – opening scene Parados – first of Chorus’s lyric songs or choral odes Regular alternation of scenes in dialogue and choral odes Exodus (concluding scene)

The Characteristics of the Chorus Approximately 15 men Sang lyric poetry & danced Were unpaid, drawn from the citizenry at large Were trained and costumed Wore the dress of the people they represented and wore light masks

Functions of the Greek chorus Provided link from audience to actors, responding to the play in a manner the playwright hoped the audience would respond – the ideal spectator Provided tension release Reflected upon what has happened, what might happen, and asked questions At times advised central characters

Functioned as the conscience of the people Helped to establish mood & to heighten the dramatic moments Could be in the play or outside it by either participating in the action or by commenting on the action as merely an observer Usually through a leader as spokesperson, could interact with the central characters

A modern version of a Greek chorus… Legally Blonde – Positive – Broadway Performance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2W4xOymo8s&NR=1 Mighty Aphrodite – Movie Scene http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7MYyuxNhQo&feature=PlayList&p=BAC1FA79B129B9B2&index=0&playnext=1