Greek Drama

1. Greek Drama

2. Drama was born in ancient Greece! • 600s B.C. - Greeks were giving choral performances of dancing and singing • Performances at festivals honoring Dionysus • Later they held drama contests to honor him

3. Thespis (534 B. C.) • Defined theater • art of acting a part on stage • dramatic impersonation of another character than yourself • Uncertain whether he was a playwright, an actor, or a priest • “Thespian” term comes from his name

4. Description of Greek Theater • Took place in large hillside amphitheaters • held 20, 000 people!! • Players included a chorus and their leader • Lines were chanted • Chorus performed in an “orchestra”, not on a raised platform

5. Greek Theater (continued) • Masks used to represent characters • High-soled boots worn to add height • Both of these limited movement

6. Greek Theater

7. Most Important Era (400s B.C.) • Tragedies performed as part of a civic celebration called the City Dionysia • Festival lasted several days • Prizes given for best tragedy, comedy, acting, and choral singing

8. Theater of Dionysus • Located on slope below the Acropolis in Athens • Seated 14,000 • Circular acting area called orchestra • Skene (stage house)

9. Greek Tragedy • Nearly all surviving tragedies are based on myth • Character’s struggle against hostile forces ended in defeat and ultimately in death • A series of dramatic episodes separated by choral odes (mini-songs). • Episodes performed by a few actors - never more than 3 on stage

10. Greek Drama (continued) • Wore masks to indicate the nature of the characters played. • Men played women’s roles • Same actor appeared in several parts. • Of the hundreds of Greek tragedies written, fewer than 35 survive.

11. Three Playwrights • Aeschylus • Most famous for Oresteia • Introduced concept of second actor • Expanded possibilities for plot

12. Sophocles • Innovation of the third actor • Most famous for Oedipus Rex

13. Euripides • Created the ultimate form of drama • Far more naturalistic or human approach in his works • Showed interest in psychology through portraits of women

14. Euripides (continued) • Medea is most famous work • Describes how a mother kills her children to gain revenge against their father

15. Roman Theater • Borrowed extensively from Greeks • Latin word “ludus” – play • Chiefly important because it influenced Renaissance playwrights • Works of only one author left – Lucius Annaeus Seneca • 5 act form -- Elaborate language • Revenge as the main idea of the play • Confidant

16. Roman Comedy • Typical plot – misunderstandings • Mistaken identity • Free-spending sons deceiving their fathers Gradual decline – actors excommunicated -- rising power of church -- invasions by barbarian tribes

17. Medieval Drama • Death of theater after fall of Roman Empire • Kept alive only by street players, jugglers, acrobats, and animal trainers

18. Medieval Churches • Although against theater during Roman Empire, churches are most responsible for bringing theater back • Church needed to establish itself in the community • Began using drama to tell stories about religious holidays

19. Liturgical Drama • Rebirth of drama through brief plays acted by priests as part of the liturgy (worship service) • The Resurrection of Christ was first event dramatized

20. Mystery Plays • Written in verse and taught Christian doctrine • Presented Biblical characters as if they lived in medieval times

21. Mystery Plays (continued) • Setting for play on pageant wagon • Wagon drawn through city to various places • Actors performed on platform outside wagon

22. Miracle Plays • Based on lives of saints rather than scripture • Became secular after short period of time

23. Morality Plays • Relgious performed “speeches” • Taught meanings of Biblical passages other than literal ones • Changed into plays called interludes • Interludes were created strictly for entertainment

24. Renaissance Drama (Italy) • Strictly applied Aristotle’s rules • Spectacular musicals • Intermezzo – music and lively entertainment between acts • 16th century - Opera emerges • 17th century – Commedia dell’arte • Comedy and improv

25. Renaissance Drama • Pastoral drama • Set in the country • Depicted romantic affairs of rustic people, usually shepherds and shepherdesses

26. Renaissance Drama (England) • Not bound by rules • Elements of farce, morality, disregard for time and place • Christopher Marlowe • Development of blank verse

27. England Performances • Began early afternoon; ended just before dusk • Women never on stage; parts played by boys • Attended by all classes of society • Refreshments sold during performances • Audience in a “holiday” mood

28. William Shakespeare • Father of modern drama • Creator of the Globe Theater

29. Shakespeare (Continued) • Wrote tragedies, comedies, etc. • Unified plot • Strong characters and imagery • Perfection with verse form and language • Captured the spirit of ordinary speech • Gave special dignity to characters/situations

30. The Globe Theater • One of four major theaters in England – the other three – Swan, Rose, Hope • Open-air octagonal amphitheater • Seated 3,000 • 3 stories high • Original burned down; was reconstructed before Shakespeare’s death

31. Congratulations!!! You have completed the lecture on the history of theater!!!