90 likes | 230 Views
Three Greek Tragedians. Fifth century Greece leaned toward tragedy and theater. Three famous tragedians rose to fame . . 1. Aeschylus : Born around 525 or 524 B.C. during Persian war into an aristocratic family Fought in battles and created timeless plays
E N D
Three Greek Tragedians Fifth century Greece leaned toward tragedy and theater. Three famous tragedians rose to fame.
1. Aeschylus: • Born around 525 or 524 B.C. during Persian war into an aristocratic family • Fought in battles and created timeless plays • Participated in Great Dionysia (Festival honoring Dionysius where dramatists create and perform their plays to be judged) • Won the Great Dionysia several times and was beaten once by his own student (Sophocles) • He was known for being blunt and to the point • Died of unknown causes, honored with sacrifices and performances
Aeschylus continued… WORKS: • Wrote 90 plays, only 7 plays still survive today • His tragic plays focused on justice • He thought gods resented man and wrote about how man was often tricked by the gods • His plays were not biased because he did not glorify the gods like many others
2. Sophocles– most successful / excellent student • Born around 496 B.C. into a wealthy family • Studied science, mathematics, philosophy, law and astronomy under Aeschylus (his teacher) • Held public office, patron of the arts, popular • Won Great Dionysia18 times and beat his teacher once • Lived during Persian war, Peloponnesian War and through the Athenian Golden Age • Lived to be 90, which did not occur often at this time
Sophocles continued… WORKS: • Wrote 123 plays, but only 7 survive today • Known for artistic and philosophical skill • Works were influenced by war (characters & themes) • Believed through pain and suffering we become more human • Felt matters of the heart make a more memorable and lasting impact • Best known character – Oedipus
3. Euripides(class of his own) • Born around 480 B.C. on island Salamis • Passion for philosophy and questioned things Greeks held sacred • Controversial and was openly disliked and criticized • Did not partake in battle or hold public office • Competed 22 times in Great Dionysia and won only 4 claiming biased judges caused his losses • Died in Macedonia at the age of 77.
Euripides continued… WORKS: • Wrote 92 plays, but only 10 – 17 survive today • Fan of realism – depicted everyday people • Deities were depicted on a common level and often equal to man in level of importance • Brings women to forefront as main characters • Felt people should seek answers through science, not only follow religion blindly • Used innocent children as suffering victims to gain an audience’s empathy
Terms: • Realism – depictions of everyday and activities and experiences, instead of a romanticized or stylized presentation • Verisimilitude - refers to a real person, place, or thing described in much believable detail: the appearance of truth • Deities – a general term that refers to all gods and goddesses