1 / 27

Insights on Greek Burial Traditions: Understanding Antigone's World

Explore the rich cultural background of Antigone through Greek burial rituals, theater origins, and tragic themes. Discover the significance of loyalty, power, gender roles, and the clash between fate and free will. Delve into the world of Sophocles' Antigone and the Oedipus Cycle, unraveling the complexities of Greek society and the human condition.

msonja
Download Presentation

Insights on Greek Burial Traditions: Understanding Antigone's World

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. Greek Life Background Information forAntigone

  2. Antigone Themes • Loyalty • Power of unwritten law • Limits of free will • Civil disobedience • Human limitations/importance of gods • Pride

  3. Political Climatein Athens • Intellectual Inquiry • radical ideas • democracy • philosophy • arts & sciences • Religious Tradition • dictated thinking • controlled behavior

  4. Gender Roles Patriarchy • social system in which men are regarded as the authority within family and society; power & possessions are passed on father to son Women’s Roles • limiting expectations • do not get involved in issues • do not meddle in politics • virtually no rights • domestic duties • bear children • manage household • direct household slaves

  5. Importance ofBurial Rights • provide guidance to afterlife • prevent suffering of deceased • prevent haunting of family members

  6. Funeral Traditions • Visual Display • familywealth, pride, and bonding • mourners in black • Payment of Charon • ferries souls across Styx • coin in mouth • Hades’ Judgment • evil to Tartarus • average to Asphodel • heroic and blessed to Elysium

  7. Three Part Procedure • I: Laying Out of the Body (2 days) • washed, anointed, dressed • flowers and crown • mouth and eyes shut (to prevent psyche—soul—from leaving the body) • II: Cart Procession to Tomb • men lead • women follow • III: Interment • men bury ashes or corpse with possessions • placement of grave marker • women return to prepare banquet

  8. Stele: Grave Marker marker for a young girl circa 445 B.C.E. (Before Common Era) deceased with surviving father and son circa 340 B.C.E. * 317 B.C.E. Athens: elaborate stelai forbidden marker for a devotee of Isis circa 165 C.E. (Rome) family grave marker circa 360 B.C.E.

  9. Tending the Dead • Post Funeral Visitation • day 3 • day 9 • day 30 • Periodic Rituals • monthly • annually • holidays “Farewell & the Last Touch” circa 400 B.C.

  10. Greek Theater Background Information forAntigone

  11. Founders of Drama • Athens • 480 B.C.E. • greatest city/state after Persian Wars • Patronage of Wealthy Citizens • provided costuming • paid for actors’ training • considered a public and religious duty • theater contributions tax exempt

  12. Dionysian Festivals • Spring Season • open-air • natural lighting/ daytime • Theater of Dionysus • Athens • Competition • 4 to 5 days (i.e. Lollapolooza) • official judges • awards ceremony

  13. Theater of Dionysus Reserved seating for patron gods & goddesses (empty seats)

  14. Amphitheater Attendance • 15,000 spectators • prisoners released on bail • public business suspended

  15. The Stage • facility • amphitheater • tents • skenes (scenes) • temples • palaces

  16. The Actors • First Playsone actor only • Later3 per playwright • multiple roles • all male • elaborate masks • portray women • distinguish characters • 5th Century BCE as many as 3 actors on stage at a time

  17. Chorus & Choragos • Talented Amateurs • Choragos: spokesman • 15 member Chorus: Athenians • singers & dancers • engage in dialogue (not narrators) • Purpose • summarize • preview • community viewpoint

  18. Literary Terms • parodos chanted entrance song • paean hymns sung to Apollo • ode lyric poem marked by exaltation of feeling with varying line lengths

  19. The Oedipus Cycle Background Information forAntigone

  20. Sophocles 496 to 406 BCE • 120 plays • only 7 survive • Athenian Festival first prize 18 times • highly popular • well respected

  21. The Trilogy • Oedipus Rex • written second • 429 B.C.E. • Oedipus at Colonus • written last before his own death • circa 409 B.C.E. • Antigone • written first • 441 B.C.E. • last chronologically

  22. The Protagonist • Heroine • one of the earliest in world literature • young: 12 to 15 • fights patriarchy • Antigone • “against the family” • “opposed to” • “close to” • filial hyperbole • Ismene responds

  23. Greek Tragedy • Single Unified Action • complete & probable • of a certain magnitude • one character; two at most • language embellished • Human Error & Frailty • not vice or depravity • arouses reader’s emotion • pity • terror/fear • may lead to death

  24. Tragic Hero (according to Aristotle 384-322 B.C.E.) • High Position • conspicuous • wealth & power • good fortune • great potential • Human • both good & bad • pitied & feared • doomed to fail • punishment outweighs misfortune

  25. Tragic Flaw • Harmatia “error of judgment” • Hubris • a common flaw • excessive pride • arrogance

  26. Fate vs. Responsibility • Fate • preordained by prophecy • hero is doomed, not evil • Responsibility • choice • wrong decision • Ultimate Outcome • realize mistake • accept punishment • feel remorse

  27. The End

More Related