1. Greek Theater and Drama 6th to 3rd century b.c.e
A quick ‘n’ dirty guide to the world of The Oedipus Cycle
Greek Theater and Drama 6th to 3rd century b.c.e

2. Layout of a Greek theater
Always outside, cut into hillsides
Made up of the following basic elements:
Orchestra: a flat, circular dancing place
Skene: building at rear of stage, provided space for entrances, exits, and costume changes; supported scenery and the occasional actor playing a god
Theatron: steps on which audience sat
Proskenion: “stage” projects out from skene above orchestra
Parados : ramps by which audience and actors would enter and exit the theater

3. Diagram of an ancient Greek theater

4. Staging a Play Downstage Upstage Exeunt Aside Monologue Soliloquy
Toward audience
Upstage
Away from audience
Exeunt
Exit
Aside
Speech given to the audience in order to revel a character’s inner thoughts
Monologue
Lengthy speech by a single character. Character is not always on stage alone.
Soliloquy
Speech made by a character who is on stage alone. Understood as the character’s thoughts.

5. Theater of Dionysus (being renovated)

6. Tragedy
Involves a clash between the will of the gods and the ambitions and desires of humans.
The moral is always, “humans cant circumvent fate.”

7. Three Unities Unity of place Unity of action Unity of time One locale
One series of closely related events
Unity of time
Successive events

8. Sections of a Greek play. . .
Prologue: includes exposition
Sets the scene (setting)
Central problem (conflict)
Introduction of main characters
Parados: ode (song) by chorus as they enter the orchestra from the…parados!
Scenes (Episodes): one of 4-5 episodes, scene which moves the plot forward
Moves the drama forward
Performed by the actors

9. Odes (Stasimon): choral passages between episodes or scenes.
Use exalted/ formal language
Accompanied my musical instruments
Strophe: lines sung as the chorus dances in one direction
Antistrophe: lines sung as the chorus retraces its steps in the opposite direction
Epode: concludes an ode
Exodus: the final scene following the last ode as the chorus exits.

10. Greek theater masks Masks [edit] Masks and ritual
Tragic Comic Masks Hadrian's Villa mosaic.
The Ancient Greek term for and all the other things that are related mask is prosopon (lit., "face"),[13] and was a significant element in the worship of Dionysus at Athens, likely used in ceremonial rites and celebrations. Most of the evidence comes from only a few vase paintings of the 5th century BC, such as one showing a mask of the god suspended from a tree with decorated robe hanging below it and dancing and the Pronomos vase,[14] which depicts actors preparing for a Satyr play.[15] No physical evidence remains available to us, as the masks were made of organic materials and not considered permanent objects, ultimately being dedicated to the altar of Dionysus after performances. Nevertheless, the mask is known to have been used since the time of Aeschylus and considered to be one of the iconic conventions of classical Greek theatre.[16]
Masks were also made for members of the chorus, who help the audience know what a character is thinking. Although there are twelve members of the chorus, they all wear the same mask because they are considered to be representing one character.
[edit] Mask details
Illustrations of theatrical masks from 5th century display helmet-like masks, covering the entire face and head, with holes for the eyes and a small aperture for the mouth, as well as an integrated wig. It is interesting to note that these paintings never show actual masks on the actors in performance; they are most often shown being handled by the actors before or after a performance, that liminal space between the audience and the stage, between myth and reality.[15] This demonstrates the way in which the mask was to ‘melt’ into the face and allow the actor to vanish into the role.[17] Effectively, the mask transformed the actor as much as memorization of the text. Therefore, performance in ancient Greece did not distinguish the masked actor from the theatrical character.
The mask-makers were called skeuopoios or “maker of the properties,” thus suggesting that their role encompassed multiple duties and tasks. The masks were most likely made out of light weight, organic materials like stiffened linen, leather, wood, or cork, with the wig consisting of human or animal hair.[18] Due to the visual restrictions imposed by these masks, it was imperative that the actors hear in order to orientate and balance themselves. Thus, it is believed that the ears were covered by substantial amounts of hair and not the helmet-mask itself. The mouth opening was relatively small, preventing the mouth to be seen during performances. Vervain and Wiles posit that this small size discourages the idea that the mask functioned as a megaphone, as originally presented in the 1960s.[15] Greek mask-maker, Thanos Vovolis, suggests that the mask serves as a resonator for the head, thus enhancing vocal acoustics and altering its quality. This leads to increased energy and presence, allowing for the more complete metamorphosis of the actor into his character.[19]
[edit] Mask functions
In a large open-air theatre, like the Theatre of Dionysus in Athens, the classical masks were able to bring the characters' face closer to the audience, especially since they had intensely exaggerated facial features and expressions.[19] They enabled an actor to appear and reappear in several different roles, thus preventing the audience from identifying the actor to one specific character. Their variations help the audience to distinguish sex, age, and social status, in addition to revealing a change in a particular character’s appearance, e.g. Oedipus after blinding himself [20] Unique masks were also created for specific characters and events in a play, such as The Furies in Aeschylus’ Eumenides and Pentheus and Cadmus in Euripides’ The Bacchae. Worn by the chorus, the masks created a sense of unity and uniformity, while representing a multi-voiced persona or single organism and simultaneously encouraged interdependency and a heightened sensitivity between each individual of the group.

11. Aristotle's Poetics (Greek: Περὶ ποιητικῆς, c
Aristotle's Poetics (Greek: Περὶ ποιητικῆς, c. 335 BCE[1]) is the earliest-surviving work of dramatic theory and the first extant philosophical treatise to focus on literary theory.[2] In it, Aristotle offers an account of what he calls "poetry" (a term which in Greek literally means "making" and in this context includes drama—comedy, tragedy, and the satyr play—as well as lyric poetry, epic poetry, and the dithyramb). He examines its "first principles" and identifies its genres and basic elements. His analysis of tragedy constitutes the core of the discussion.[3] Although Aristotle's Poetics is universally acknowledged in the Western critical tradition," Marvin Carlson explains, "almost every detail about his seminal work has aroused divergent opinions."[4]
The work was lost to the Western world and often misrepresented for a long time. It was available through the Middle Ages and early Renaissance only through a Latin translation of an Arabic version written by Averroes.[5]
Aristotle’s poetics

12. Every tragedy has 6 parts:
The Poetics
Aristotle’s view on elements of what we now call “Literature”
Every tragedy has 6 parts:
Plot:
Characters:
Thought:
Diction:
Melody:
Spectacle:

13. Elements of a tragedy. . .
1. Plot: a chain of causes and events that, combined with the hero’s tragic flaw, lead to a downfall. Plot must observe the 3 unities (see right).
2. Characters: Aristotle believed characters must…
Be morally good
Have appropriate character traits
Be true to life
Have consistency
Be believable
Be normal but idealized (“true to life but more beautiful”)

14. 3. Thought: plays should reveal character and have themes
4. Diction: appropriate and effective words (esp. metaphors)
5. Melody: chorus is an integral part of the play, not a mere interlude
6. Spectacle: special and visual effects of costume, scenery and props