Greek Theater Western Civilization

The Greek Theater 5 th Century B. C. Golden Age of Greek Drama Dramatic festivals were popular People witnessed tragic and comic plays

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)

The Land Located in Europe in the Aegean Sea

The Land

Overview of Greek Theatre The land The myths 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

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.

GREEK THEATRE Greek theatres were constructed in hillsides using the natural slope of the hill for seating the audience ORCHESTRA: Large circular area located at the foot of the hill; location from where the chorus would chant their lines Behind the ORCHESTRA was a raised platform where the actors performed a small building called the SKENE was at the back of the platform-it was where the actors would change their masks- the front of the SKENE was used to represent location; modern day word SCENE comes from SKENE

GREEK THEATRE Greek theatre used specialty machinery; most noted was the platform on wheels and the DEUS EX MACHINA (literally translated God by Machine)-a device used to lower actors from the top of the SKENE to the stage; used to show the dissention of Gods from the Heavens to earth Greek era considered to be the most important time in theatre history

GREEK THEATRE COMEDY: light humorous dramas with a happy ending TRAGEDY: the main character suffers a disastrous end SATYR (satire): made fun of Greek legends All of these play types were written and performed during this time period… although the interpretation of these art forms has evolved they are still the general dramatic forms still written and performed at present

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

Modern-day replicas Hero-King Comedy (Servant or Herald ) Tragedy (Weeping Chorus)

Theater at Epidaurus

Major Greek Dramatists Aeschylus524 B.C.Seven Against Thebes Sophocles496 B.C.Antigone Oedipus Euripides480 B.C.Medea DramatistBornWrote

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

Greek Comedy and Aristophanes

Euripides’ Medea Medea is a princess from Colchis Medea marries Jason, who is in Colchis on a quest for the Golden Fleece Medea betrays her father and murders her brother for her love of Jason Medea has magical powers Jason takes Medea back to his homeland, Corinth, where they have children Jason takes another wife, the king of Corinth’s daughter

Jason’s Voyage on the Argo Jason and Medea meet Corinth: Where Jason and Medea settle down

Overview of Greek Theatre The land The myths The stage

Myths played a key role in Greek drama

The Myths – Why they were written 1. Explained the unexplainable 2. Justified religious practices 3. Gave credibility to leaders 4. Gave hope 5. Polytheistic (more than one god) 6. 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

Theater of Dionysus carved out of a stone hillside looked like a semicircle with steeply rising tiers of seats

Theater of Dionysus

At the bottom was the rounded orchestra or performance area where the chorus sang and danced

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

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

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

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

Poseidon Zeus’s brother King of the sea Earthquakes Horses

Hades Brother to Zeus and Poseidon King of the Underworld (Tartarus) Husband of Persphone

Ares God of war

Hephaestus God of fire Craftspeople Metalworkers Artisans

Apollo God of the sun Music Poetry Fine arts Medicine

Hermes Messenger to the gods Trade Commerce Travelers Thieves & scoundrels

Dionysus God of Wine Partying (Revelry)

Hera Queen of gods Women Marriage Childbirth

Demeter Goddess of Harvest Agriculture Fertility Fruitfulness Mom to Persephone

Hestia Goddess of Hearth Home Community

Athena Goddess of wisdom Practical arts War

Aphrodite Goddess of love and beauty

Artemis Goddess of hunting and the moon.

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