1 / 81

Outline

Outline. Intro Structure of Greek Plays Performance not “Naturalistic” Theater as Part of Religious Festival Role of Theater in Greek Society Themes of Greek Plays “Oresteia” “The Persians” “The Trojan Women” The Oedipus Cycle Greek Comedy. Introduction.

eliora
Download Presentation

Outline

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Outline • Intro • Structure of Greek Plays • Performance not “Naturalistic” • Theater as Part of Religious Festival • Role of Theater in Greek Society • Themes of Greek Plays • “Oresteia” • “The Persians” • “The Trojan Women” • The Oedipus Cycle • Greek Comedy

  2. Introduction • Democratic Artform—Civic Event

  3. Introduction • Democratic Artform—Civic Event • Public artform to explore human nature and civic issues • Only some plays remain

  4. Highly Ritualized Structure of Greek Plays • Origins: Dithyramb • Second actor added • Eventually Third Actor (All Men) • Starts with Introduction and Choral Ode • Interspersed with Dialogue

  5. Performance not “Naturalistic” • Almost no scenery Deus ex Machina

  6. Performance not “Naturalistic” • Almost no scenery • Heavy Mask

  7. Theater Masks had exaggerated expression so people in the back could see what emotions they were expressing. They may have also had megaphones in them so the actors could be heard in back.

  8. Performance not “Naturalistic” • Almost no scenery • Heavy Mask • Heavy Robes

  9. Performance not “Naturalistic” • Almost no scenery • Heavy Mask • Heavy Robes • Relied on voices and highly ritualized movements

  10. Performance not “Naturalistic” • Almost no scenery • Heavy Mask • Heavy Robes • Relied on voices and highly ritualized movements • Not supposed to be “realistic”

  11. Performance not “Naturalistic” • Almost no scenery • Heavy Mask • Heavy Robes • Relied on voices and highly ritualized movements • Not supposed to be “realistic” • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQOPFxuiaWQ

  12. Theater as part of Religious Festival • Festival for Dionysus

  13. Theater as part of Religious Festival • Festival for Dionysus • Dionysus • God of wine, but also the god of social taboos • But also the force binding society together

  14. Theater as part of Religious Festival • Festival for Dionysus • Dionysus • God of wine, but also the god of social taboos • But also the force binding society together • Just a few days of the year

  15. Theater as part of Religious Festival • Festival for Dionysus • Dionysus • God of wine, but also the god of social taboos • But also the force binding society together • Just a few days of the year • Festival over three days • One playwright each day • Trilogy and Satyr Play • Starts at Sunrise, goes all day

  16. Theater as part of Religious Festival • Festival for Dionysus • Dionysus • God of wine, but also the god of social taboos • But also the force binding society together • Just a few days of the year • Festival over three days • One playwright each day • Trilogy and Satyr Play • Starts at Sunrise, goes all day • Agon: Winning Playwright

  17. Role of Theater in Greek Society • Place for Transgression

  18. Role of Theater in Greek Society • Place for Transgression • Catharsis (“A purifying cleansing of the emotions”)

  19. Role of Theater in Greek Society • Place for Transgression • Catharsis (“A purifying cleansing of the emotions”) • Social Commentary

  20. Themes in Greek Theater • Agon • Antagonism between characters • Internal Strife • Competition between playwrights

  21. Themes in Greek Theater • Agon • Antagonism between characters • Internal Strife • Competition between playwrights • Tragedy as Allegory • Allegory:

  22. Themes in Greek Theater • Agon • Antagonism between characters • Internal Strife • Competition between playwrights • Tragedy as Allegory • Allegory: the expression by means of symbolic fictional figures and actions of truths or generalizations about human existence

  23. Themes in Greek Theater • Agon • Antagonism between characters • Internal Strife • Competition between playwrights • Tragedy as Allegory • Allegory: the expression by means of symbolic fictional figures and actions of truths or generalizations about human existence • Comedy as Satire • Satire:

  24. Themes in Greek Theater • Agon • Antagonism between characters • Internal Strife • Competition between playwrights • Tragedy as Allegory • Allegory: the expression by means of symbolic fictional figures and actions of truths or generalizations about human existence • Comedy as Satire • Satire: A literary work in which human vice or folly is attacked through irony, derision, or wit.

  25. Aeschylus • (525-456) • Fought at Marathon, wanted that on Tombstone rather than playwriting • first place at Dionysia an amazing 13 times

  26. The Persians (472) • NOT set in Mythical Era

  27. The Persians (472) • NOT set in Mythical Era • Portrays Persians as Brave Men

  28. The Persians (472) • NOT set in Mythical Era • Portrays Persians as Brave Men • Warnings about power

  29. The Persians (472) • NOT set in Mythical Era • Portrays Persians as Brave Men • Warnings about power • Don’t give too much power to an autocrat

  30. The Persians (472) • NOT set in Mythical Era • Portrays Persians as Brave Men • Warnings about power • Don’t give too much power to an autocrat • Don’t overextend your empire

  31. Oresteia Trilogy (458) • Agamemnon: Clytemnestra kills Agamemnon

  32. Oresteia Trilogy (458) • Agamemnon: Clytemnestra kills Agamemnon • The Libation Bearers: The kids, Orestes and Electra get revenge

  33. Oresteia Trilogy (458) • Agamemnon: Clytemnestra kills Agamemnon • The Libation Bearers: The kids, Orestes and Electra get revenge • The Eumenides: The Furies and the Oresteia

  34. Oresteia: Themes and Historical Significance • One Bad Thing Leads to Another

  35. Oresteia: Themes and Historical Significance • One Bad Thing Leads to Another • Agon: Internal Struggle

  36. Oresteia: Themes and Historical Significance • One Bad Thing Leads to Another • Agon: Internal Struggle • Blood Feud vs. Rule of Law

  37. Oresteia: Themes and Historical Significance • One Bad Thing Leads to Another • Agon: Internal Struggle • Blood Feud vs. Rule of Law • The Role of the Areopagus

  38. Oresteia: Themes and Historical Significance • One Bad Thing Leads to Another • Agon: Internal Struggle • Blood Feud vs. Rule of Law • The Role of the Areopagus • Justification of crucial remaining role for Areopagus, judging Homicide Cases

  39. Euripides’ The Trojan Women (415) • Plot: Tragic Aftermath of the Trojan War

  40. Euripides’ The Trojan Women (415) • Plot: Tragic Aftermath of the Trojan War • "How are ye blind, ye treaders down of cities, ye that cast temples to desolation and lay waste tombs, the untrodden sanctuaries where lie the ancient dead; yourselves so soon to die!”

  41. Euripides’ The Trojan Women (415) • Plot: Tragic Aftermath of the Trojan War • "How are ye blind, ye treaders down of cities, ye that cast temples to desolation and lay waste tombs, the untrodden sanctuaries where lie the ancient dead; yourselves so soon to die!” • Who did the Athenians destroy just before 415?

  42. Sophocles’ Oedipus Cycle • Sophocles (~496-~405) • Not Performed as a trilogy. • Oedipus the King (429) • Oedipus at Colonus (401) (written ~406) • Antigone (441) • Epitomizes Tragedy’s use of Mythology, agonizing family discord, to make modern points

  43. Oedipus the King (429) • Background: • Tragic Story of Oedipus, fated to…kill his dad and marry his mom

  44. Oedipus the King (429) • Background: • Tragic Story of Oedipus, fated to…kill his dad and marry his mom • Laius, King of Thebes, abandons him

  45. Oedipus the King (429) • Background: • Tragic Story of Oedipus, fated to…kill his dad and marry his mom • Laius, King of Thebes, abandons him • Raised in Corinth

  46. Oedipus the King (429) • Background: • Tragic Story of Oedipus, fated to…kill his dad and marry his mom • Laius, King of Thebes, abandons him • Raised in Corinth • Oedipus gets away from his “parents” in Corinth

  47. Oedipus the King (429) • Background: • Tragic Story of Oedipus, fated to…kill his dad and marry his mom • Laius, King of Thebes, abandons him • Raised in Corinth • Oedipus gets away from his “parents” in Corinth • Kills Laius at crossroads

  48. Oedipus the King (429) • Background: • Tragic Story of Oedipus, fated to…kill his dad and marry his mom • Laius, King of Thebes, abandons him • Raised in Corinth • Oedipus gets away from his “parents” in Corinth • Kills Laius at crossroads • Solves riddle of Sphinx, marries Jocasta

  49. Action of Oedipus the King • Plague hits Thebes. • Other Plague around 429?

More Related