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Tragic Drama Antigone Oedipus The King
The Theatre • One of the great events of the year for a Greek was a visit to the theatre. Plays were put on for 10 days in the year. Each play was only performed once and naturally everyone wanted to see it, so the theatre had to be HUGE. People went to the theatre soon after sunrise. They paid their two obols (a third of a drachma) to get in. If anyone was too poor to pay, the state paid for him out of a special fund for festivals.
The Theatre • Once in the theatre, people sat there all day. They took food with them to eat in the short intervals between the plays. They watched three tragedies or three comedies followed by a short satyr farce.
The Theatre • The audience usually knew the plot, for plays were almost always based on well known myths or legends. The interesting thing was to see what the poet had done with the story.
The Theatre • The greatest difference between the Greek theatre and the modern theatre was that Greek plays were part of a religious festival held in honour of the Gods.
The Theatre • The theatre had begun as a festival of songs which told stories of the Gods. Then one man stepped out of the line of singers to act the part of the main character, later a second actor was introduced, and gradually plays as we know them developed.
Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) Tragedy, then, is an imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude; in language embellished with each kind of artistic ornament, the several kinds being found in separate parts of the play; in the form of action, not of narrative; through pity and fear effecting the proper purgation of these emotions.
What does this mean? • All poetry, including tragedy, is a mimesis, an imitation of life. • Tragedy has a serious purpose, using drama, rather than narrative, to achieve it. • The purpose is to purge the emotions of the audience (to achieve a katharsis). Arouse feelings of pity or fear, so the audience could leave cleansed and purified, with a better understanding of the ways of gods and men.
Unity of action • Peripeteia(reversal of fortune) – the opposite of what the protagonist had hoped for takes place. • Anagnorisis(recognition) – The protagonist finally learns the truth, or something about himself or another character. • Katharsis(a purging) – the sudden acquisition of knowledge rouses an intense emotional reaction to the audience
Sophocles Sophocles wrote 123 plays during the course of his life, but only seven have survived in a complete form. For almost 50 years, Sophocles was the most-awarded playwright in the dramatic competitions of the city-state of Athens that took place during the religious festivals of the Lenaea and the Dionysia.
The prophecy is that he will kill his father and marry his mother!! Oedipus – the legend Already what kind of sense are we getting? What was the prophecy? What are your predictions? • Born to king Laius and queen Jocasta, the oracle at Delphi prophesies disaster. • The king and queen expose him in order to thwart/escape the prophecy. However, he lives and ends up being raised in Corinth. • He is bought up by the king and queen of Corinth. At 18 he hears about the prophecy and leaves in order to protect his mother and father
Oedipus – the legend • He heads to Thebes and on his travels he comes across a traveller with servants. They argue and O_____ kills him. It is King Laius! • The sphinx is a monster that guards the entrance to Thebes, he must guess a riddle to get past. He does so and defeats the sphinx. As a reward, he is given the newly widowed q_____.
"What is the creature that walks on four legs in the morning, two legs at noon, and three in the evening?" Think metaphorically…
The prophecy has been fulfilled!! • Oedipus has k_____ his father and married his mother. • Now he is king of Thebes • Plague and pestilence begin to destroy Thebes – the Gods say there is a m______ in Thebes who must be punished
Other notes on the play… • Phoebus = Phoebus A_____, God of prophecy • References to D_____ or to the Pythia refer to the oracle which is giving the information. • Facts about Laius’ death = He was on a pilgrimage, his group of guards were all killed except one, the one left alive said they were attacked by robbers.
Quiz • How many of Sophocles plays survived? • Name one of the Athenian religious festivals that drama took place during. • What was the prophecy that made Oedipus’ parents expose him? • What does the name Oedipus mean? • What was his mothers name? • What monster did Oedipus defeat?
Quiz • What type of status did tragic characters have? • Starting with F, what did the tragic character always have? • What could the tragic character never avoid, no matter what he or she did?
Answers • 7 • Dionysia or the Lenaea • Kill father and marry mother • Swollen foot • Jocasta • Sphinx • High status • A FLAW • A tragic end ie. Death • Chorus
Origins of Greek Drama-Dionysus • Began through religious worship of Dionysus • Greek god of wine, revelry, and physical pleasure • Handsome and vigorous-filled with the joy of life • Father of the Greek Theater
Origins of Greek Drama • When grapes were harvested, the Greeks would celebrate in honor of Dionysus • Much dancing and singing • Some people wore masks • At first, everyone took part in the activities. Then, some who danced or sang better than the others would take control of the activities. • The others would gather to watch, thus performance came into existence • A large audience needed a place to see the performance. The people sought out semi-circular hillsides sloping down toward a flat area. This flat area was stomped down and called the “dancing circle” and Western civilization’s first “stage”
Theatre Ruins Theatre of Dionysus Theatre at Epidaurus
Characteristics of Greek Drama • Open to the sky • Seats of stone • Simple props used • No violence represented directly on stage • Rich citizens (patrons) funded the expense of putting on a play • Awesome acoustics and visibility • Only occurred once a year at the Feast of Dionysus
Characteristics of Greek Drama • Women sat apart from men • Only men were actors or in the chorus: elaborate masks worn • Lively audience, ate and drank, quarreled, shouted, hissed, groaned, threw olives, figs, or stones • Three days of drama-on each day five plays were presented: 3 tragedies, a satyr play, and a comedy • Winners chosen by a panel of 10 judges
The Chorus • Earliest Greek drama was a group production performed by a chorus • The chorus sometimes sang, sometimes chanted • In 535 B.C., a man named Thespis, who was a prominent leader of the chorus, stepped out from the group and recited alone—thus, the first actor • Originally, the Chorus consisted of about 50 people
The Chorus • Chorus dwindled to no more than 15 people over the years, as first a 2nd actor was added, and finally, a 3rd • Chorus functions as another character in the • Chorus sets the mood and atmosphere of the play • Engages in dialogue with the characters through the Chorus Leader • Comments on and emphasizes the main themes of the play • Offers important background and provides summaries so that the audience might better understand the play • Models an ideal audience’s response to the unfolding drama • Foreshadows the outcome of the play
Tragic Hero • A man of high birth • Has great promise, ability, and integrity of character • Neither extremely good or evil • Has a tragic flaw or weakness-sometimes seen in as an error in judgment • Suffers, does not endure passively, fights back • He must have a choice • Downfall (causes?)
Characters in Oedipus Rex • Oedipus- “Pierced feet”- Current King of Thebes • Jocasta-Oedipus’ wife, widow of murdered King Laius • Polybus and Merope-Oedipus’ adoptive parents, king and queen of Corinth • Creon-Jocasta’s brother • Teiresias-soothsayer
Oracle at Delphi • Apollo’s oracle • Prophecies given by oracle • Oracle a priestess of Apollo • Natural gas
Sphinx • Monster with the head of a woman, claws or a lion, tail of a serpent, and the wings of a bird • Took up residence near the cit of Thebes and asked every person the following riddle: “What walks on four legs in the morning, on two at noon, and on three in the evening?” • Killed those who could not answer her correctly
Things to Look for in Oedipus Rex • Irony, chiefly, dramatic irony • Concept of fate • Characterization of Oedipus • Role of and Belief in the gods • Blindness, Truth, Knowledge • Disease • Nature of the conflict • Concept of transgression-violation of a law, command, or duty
Characters in the play • A Shepherd • An Attendant • Chorus of Theban elders • Kings attendants • Queens attendants • Citizens of Thebes • Oedipus – King of Thebes • Jocasta – wife and mother of Oedipus • Creon – Brother of Jocasta • Teiresias – a blind prophet • A priest • A messenger
Typical Structure of a Tragedy • Prologue • Parode (Entrance Ode) • Episode (3-5) • Stasimon (Stationary Song) (3-5) • Exode (Exit Ode)
1st Episode • What pronouncement does Oedipus make? • What aspects of his speech reflect dramatic irony? 2 quotes • How does Oedipus’ character change during his conversation with Teiresias? • How does Oedipus explain away Teiresias’ accusation? • Quote the lines describing who the killer is and what will become of him.
1st Stasimon • The chorus are in a dilemma because of Teiresias’ accusations. They will not support the accusations until “blame is proved”. • They decide to put their trust in the Gods, rather than “mortal prophets” • The references to the Gods • Zeus was believed to ensure that fate was fulfilled • Parnassus was a mountain above Delphi, sacred to Apollo
