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Oedipus The King . A Tragedy in Context . The need to imitate Fun to pretend to be someone or something else As a means of communication - to demonstrate a situation/storytelling through words and actions The need to worship the gods in order to please them. The Greek Theatre .
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Oedipus The King A Tragedy in Context
The need to imitate • Fun to pretend to be someone or something else • As a means of communication - to demonstrate a situation/storytelling through words and actions • The need to worship the gods in order to please them The Greek Theatre
Theatre was an attempt to explain: • The relationship of the human to the divine • the human to the material world • the nature of violence and its origins • how to attempt to control the irrational with the material worlds. A Religious Ritual
Two major performance areas- The Orchestra or “Dancing Circle” served as the primary acting area
The Skene (scene building)- consisted of a building behind the orchestra probably used as a dressing room, later to be integrated into the stage action by an innovative playwright.
Greek Scenic Devices Periaktoi a revolving triangular devices with one scene painted on each side.
Where and how were the dramas performed? …In an amphitheatre …With a chorus who described most of the action. …With masks …With all the fighting and movement going on off stage.….With tragedy first, then comedy later.
Adrama that concerns better than average people who suffer a transition from good fortune to bad fortune and who speak in an eloquent language • Purging the soul of the "fear and pity" which most of us carry around (Aristotle called this catharsis) • Comedy concerns average or below average, people who enjoy a transition from bad circumstances to good (but not too good) and who speak in everyday language Tragedy vs Comedy
Dominant • Representative of society • Representative of normal mortal beings. • Dramatic The Chorus was…
Born in Colonus, a small town outside Athens, Greece in 495 B.C • Began as a performer at age 15 • First recognized as a playwright for winning 1st prize at an annual theatrical competition when he was 28 years old. • Over 62 years, Sophocles wrote over 120 plays, 24 of which won first prize; the others placed in second at the competition Sophocles The Man
Introduced a third actor • Insisted that the scenery be carefully painted and properly arranged • Used grand and majestic language • Decreased the orchestra from 50 to 12 people How Sophocles Changed Theatre
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-mkVSasZIM The Greeks vs The Persians
Men Married from 25 - 30yrs Short hair with beards Schools taught reading, writing and mathematics, music, poetry, sport and gymnastics Education was from the age of 5 to 14, or for the wealthier 5 - 18 citizen boys entered a military training camp for two years, until the age of twenty. Women Married from 12-16yrs Little formal education Kept at home with no political power Learned how to weave, spin, and perform other domestic arts The Role of Men and Women
Elected officials including 10 generals (strategos), magistrates (archons), and others. • Council of 500 was charged with administering decisions made by the Assembly. • The Assembly open to all citizens (all citizens were eligible to attend such meetings and speak up). They passed laws and made policy decisions. The Assembly met on the Hill of the Pnyx at the foot of the Acropolis. • Citizens were paid for jury service so not only the wealthy could participate. • Women did not participate in the political life of Athens. Political Organization
