Origin and Evolution of Greek Drama: A Background on Oedipus Rex and Antigone

1. GREEK DRAMA Background for Oedipus Rex and Antigone 10th grade English Mrs. Duke Edited and Added to by Mrs. Russell

2. How did drama begin? • Traveling groups sang about myths and legends. • Playwrights decided to write down the stories in a form that could be acted out. • Playwright acts out the play by himself 1st actor- Thespis 534 B.C. • Aeschylus (525-456 B.C.), added the second actor, so there was interaction. • Sophocles added a third actor.

3. Sophocles (496-406 B.C.) • Abolished the “trilogic form” • Each play could be a complete entity in itself • Responsible for the invention of scene painting and “periaktoi”- a three-sided revolving apparatus painted with scenery and used at each side of the stage.

4. Sophocles • Wrote 100-120 plays; seven have survived in their entirety • Wrote the “Theben Plays” • Oedipus the King (Oedipus Rex) • Oedipus at Colonus • Antigone

5. “DIONYSIA” • Religious event held in the spring of each year • Festival honoring the Greek god, Dionysus • Play competitions held at the Theater of Dionysus at Athens (TDA) • Audience would cast stone ballots to vote for the winner

6. Play competitions • 3 playwrights chosen to perform three tragedies and one satire each • Satire--humorous play about the three tragedies just presented • A SATYR PLAY IS A FARCICAL, OFTEN BAWDY PARODY OF THE GODS AND THEIR MYTHS. • Lasted three days, sunrise to sunset • Each playwright presented on one day • At the end of the third day, a laurel wreath and a cash award was given to the winning playwright.

7. Winners • Aeschylus and Sophocles won the most competitions. Sophocles won at least 20 times. • Euripides (480-406 B.C.), while winning less competitions, foreshadowed the ultimate form of drama as we know it -- employing a far more naturalistic or human approach in his works, in contrast to the remote scale and formalized conventions used by his contemporaries.

8. Comedies • Aristophanes (448-380 B.C.) and Menander (342-292 B.C.) were the greatest comic writers. • A separate competition for comedy which, while also dedicated to Dionysus, took place at the smaller winter festival, rather than the major spring festival at which the tragedies were presented. • These were dependent on topical humor and satire for much of their content, and have not survived the ages as well as tragedies -- which deal with more universal themes.

9. One of two gods of the earth along with Demeter • God of poetry, drama, the song, and wine • Son of Zeus and Semele (or Persephone)

10. Worshipped by a religious cult • Believed to be able to take the form of animals to be sacrificed • Worshipped during the festival and given credit for being able to have drama He was believed to have died every winter and revived every spring.

12. Structure of the Greek theater--THEATER • Outdoor stadium--3,000 spectators – the largest ultimately held twenty thousand people • Theatron--“the seeing place”-- was audience seating • Orchestra--circular area for the chorus • Skene building--building used for dressing, entering and exiting the performance area

13. Theatron • Located on a sloped surface, usually a hillside • Half or semi-circle • Contained wooden or stone benches built into the hillside • Patrons looked down onto the performance area • Segregated seating • Patrons were from ALL classes

14. Orchestra • A flat, circular area where the chorus stood • Separated from the audience by a stone retaining wall • Contained a Thymele in the center of the circle (an altar to Dionysus) • Chorus proceeded to the orchestra by way of the parados

15. Skene • Flat-roofed scene building • Temporary construction of wood, later became permanent • Located across the rear of the orchestra circle • Used as a dressing area for actors

16. The Greek Theater

17. The Greek Theater skene thymele paragos theatron orchestra

19. The Greek Theater Theater of Dionysus in Athens, Greece

20. The Greek Theater

21. The Greek Theater

22. The Greek Theater

23. The Greek Theater

24. The Greek Theater

25. Theater--Machinery used • Trap door on the skene--divinities could appear on the roof • Mechane--a crane supported by a large stone that allowed characters to “fly” • Ekkyklema--”thing which rolls out”--low rolling platform used to display dead bodies or to wheel out characters who were ill

26. Who acted out the plays? • “Hypocrits”=Actors, role players • Actor and playwright were originally the same • Never have more than three hypocrits • All male performers--played female roles also

27. Costumes • Long flowing robes, often with vertical stripes • Oversized and well-padded • High boots with raised soles or stilts • Colors were symbolic

28. Masks • Made of linen, wood, or cork • “Larger than life” • Identified age, gender, emotion • Exaggerated features-large eyes, open mouth • Amplified sound

29. Masks • Made of linen, wood, or cork • “Larger than life” • Identified age, gender, emotion • Exaggerated features-large eyes, open mouth • Amplified sound

30. Masks • Made of linen, wood, or cork • “Larger than life” • Identified age, gender, emotion • Exaggerated features-large eyes, open mouth • Amplified sound

31. Masks • Made of linen, wood, or cork • “Larger than life” • Identified age, gender, emotion • Exaggerated features-large eyes, open mouth • Amplified sound

32. Chorus • Contained 15 men who chanted and danced • Choragos--the spokesman or leader of the chorus • Commented on the action of the play and interpreted its meaning for the audience in chants and odes

33. Function of the Chorus • Sets the overall mood and expresses theme • Adds beauty (theatrical effectiveness) through song and expressive dance • Gives background information • Divides action and offers reflections on events • Questions, advises, expresses opinion (choragos)

34. Chorus Location of the chorus

35. Structure of a Greek Tragedy • Prologue – exposition – provides background information to set up the conflict • Parados – entrance of the chorus with the opening choral ode • Episodes – scenes • Stasima – choral odes • Paean– song to Dionysus • Exodus – action after the last stasimon, final scene

36. Odes • Poems chanted that were used to conclude each scene • Musical accompaniment--flute, lyre, percussion • Also called stasima (stasimon) • Epode-final stanza

37. Paean • Song/Poem of thanksgiving to Dionysus • Given just before the exodus (final scene)

38. Conventions of Greek Drama • Convention = agreement between artist and audience • MESSENGER • Tells news happenings away from the scene • Reports acts of violence not allowed to be seen onstage

39. Conventions of Greek Drama • “STAGE DECENCIES” • No violent action in front of the audience • Scenes of horror occur off-stage and are reported to audience • Dialogue or messenger report

40. Limitations of the Theater • Continuous presence of the chorus “on-stage” • No intermissions, continuous flow of action and choral odes • No lighting • no curtains

41. Aristotle's Six Elements of Drama • 1. Plot (the incidents or story line) • 2. Character (physical, social, psychological, moral--people represented in the play) • 3. Thought/Theme (insights into humanity and life • 4. Music (all sound) • 5. Spectacle (scenery and other visual elements) • 6. Diction/language (the dialogue and poetry)

42. Conventions of Greek Drama • UNITIES – a way of providing a central focus to a play. Aristotle believed perfect tragedies had: • Unity of Action – simple plot with no mixture of tragedy and comedy • Unity of Time – single day • Unity of Place – one location of scenes

43. For More About Greek Drama: • The Glory that was Greece • Greek Drama and Culture • Greek Drama • Aristotle • Ancient Theatre • Greek Theatre • Dr. J's Illustrated Greek Theater