Historical Context: Historical Context: Greek TragedyGreek Tragedy

Let’s prepare to perform Let’s prepare to perform Antigone!Antigone!

The StageThe StageThree Main Portions of Greek Theatre:

Skene – Portion of stage where actors performed (included 1-3 doors in and out)

Orchestra – “Dancing Place” where chorus sang to the audience

Theatron – Seating for audience

The Greek Amphitheater The Greek Amphitheater

The StageThe Stage

The StageThe Stage

Actors in Greek TheaterActors in Greek Theater

• The main actors (playing multiple characters each)

• Chorus– 12 or 15 choreutes (dancers)– trained to sing and dance from

their youth

Who are the Actors? Who are the Actors?

Must be a young man Must be a young man (women were not allowed to (women were not allowed to perform)perform)

Must be a Greek citizen Must be a Greek citizen Must have some money or Must have some money or

authority in societyauthority in society Must have the approval of Must have the approval of

the Honorable Archonthe Honorable Archon

Who is the Chorus?Who is the Chorus? A group of actors/audience members that A group of actors/audience members that

interject into the plot of the playinterject into the plot of the play They speak in chorus and would usually They speak in chorus and would usually

have a drumbeat or musical interlude to have a drumbeat or musical interlude to accompany themaccompany them

The chorus is there to help the audience The chorus is there to help the audience consider different view points of the consider different view points of the characters. They also pray to the Gods. characters. They also pray to the Gods. (Remember this was a religious festival!)(Remember this was a religious festival!)

The chorus provides a review for the The chorus provides a review for the audience, offers prayers for the group, and audience, offers prayers for the group, and helps the reader consider the different helps the reader consider the different view points of the charactersview points of the characters

Masks in Greek TheaterMasks in Greek Theater

Masks were used in Greek Masks were used in Greek drama to portray character drama to portray character types or character emotions types or character emotions to the entire audience, which to the entire audience, which could be up to 20,000 people could be up to 20,000 people crowded onto a hillside.crowded onto a hillside.

These masks fit over the These masks fit over the head, with a wig attached, head, with a wig attached, and had large mouth and had large mouth openings so that speech openings so that speech would not be muffled.would not be muffled.

Masks in Greek TheaterMasks in Greek Theater Prevented the audience from Prevented the audience from

identifying the face of any actor identifying the face of any actor with one specific character with one specific character

Allowed men to impersonate Allowed men to impersonate women without confusion women without confusion

Helped the audience identify the Helped the audience identify the sex, age, and social rank of the sex, age, and social rank of the characters characters

Were often changed by the Were often changed by the actors when they would exit after actors when they would exit after an episode to assume a new rolean episode to assume a new role

SophoclesSophocles

The so-called “Sophoclean heroes” include Oedipus and Creon .They dominate six of the plays of Sophocles that have survived through time. These characters are stubborn and strong willed. They pursue their own purposes and fashion their own identities. Athenians had traditionally identified themselves through family. Now that democratic society had begun to focus on the individual, citizens were compelled to define themselves through what their own actions.

TragedyTragedy

A drama or literary work in which the main A drama or literary work in which the main character is brought to ruin or suffers character is brought to ruin or suffers extreme sorrow, especially as a extreme sorrow, especially as a consequence of a tragic flaw, moral consequence of a tragic flaw, moral weakness, or inability to cope with weakness, or inability to cope with unfavorable circumstancesunfavorable circumstances

Parts of a Tragedy: Dramatic Parts of a Tragedy: Dramatic Irony Irony

A plot device in which the audience's A plot device in which the audience's or reader's knowledge of events or or reader's knowledge of events or individuals surpasses that of the individuals surpasses that of the characters characters

When YOU know something the When YOU know something the characters do NOT knowcharacters do NOT know

Typically occurs as a part of the Typically occurs as a part of the climax or turning point in the plot – climax or turning point in the plot – Helps cause that moment of Helps cause that moment of catharsis! catharsis!

Parts of a Tragedy: CatharsisParts of a Tragedy: Catharsis

A release of emotional tension, as A release of emotional tension, as after an overwhelming experience, after an overwhelming experience, that restores or refreshes the spiritthat restores or refreshes the spirit

Aristotle says it is the effect of tragic Aristotle says it is the effect of tragic drama on its audiencedrama on its audience

The moment after the main The moment after the main character makes a BIG decisioncharacter makes a BIG decision

building building building building Building Building BUILDING BUILDING Ahhhhhhhh Ahhhhhhhh

Parts of a Greek Tragedy: Parts of a Greek Tragedy: Stichomythia Stichomythia

Dialogue in alternate lines, a form Dialogue in alternate lines, a form sometimes used in Classical Greek drama sometimes used in Classical Greek drama in which two characters alternate speaking in which two characters alternate speaking single epigrammatic lines of verse single epigrammatic lines of verse

Often used as a means to show characters Often used as a means to show characters in vigorous contention or to heighten the in vigorous contention or to heighten the emotional intensity of a scene emotional intensity of a scene

Characters may take turns voicing Characters may take turns voicing antithetical positions, or they may take up antithetical positions, or they may take up one another's words, suggesting other one another's words, suggesting other meanings or punning upon them meanings or punning upon them

Parts of a Tragedy: Deus ex Parts of a Tragedy: Deus ex Machina Machina

A God or Gods are introduced into a play A God or Gods are introduced into a play to resolve the entanglements of the plot to resolve the entanglements of the plot

Found in Greek and Roman drama – You Found in Greek and Roman drama – You may remember this from Odyssey and may remember this from Odyssey and Oedipus!Oedipus!

Do you remember the 12 Olympians? Let’s Do you remember the 12 Olympians? Let’s review... review...

12 Olympians12 Olympians

Gods Specific to AntigoneGods Specific to Antigone

Dionysus – God of Festivals and the Dionysus – God of Festivals and the ArtsArts

Zeus – God of Gods Zeus – God of Gods Athena – Goddess of WisdomAthena – Goddess of WisdomApollo – God of Light and PoetryApollo – God of Light and PoetryAres – God of WarAres – God of WarHades – God of the UnderworldHades – God of the Underworld

Parts of a Greek Tragedy: Parts of a Greek Tragedy: PathosPathos

Greek meaning: suffering or feeling Greek meaning: suffering or feeling emotionsemotions

When a writer uses pathos s/he is...When a writer uses pathos s/he is... Appealing to the emotions of the audience in Appealing to the emotions of the audience in

order to persuadeorder to persuade Choosing language that will affects the Choosing language that will affects the

audience's emotional responseaudience's emotional response You use pathos too! If you don’t want to go You use pathos too! If you don’t want to go

to school how might you describe your to school how might you describe your “sickness” to your parents? Is it a mere “sickness” to your parents? Is it a mere cough? A sniffle? cough? A sniffle?

Parts of a Greek Tragedy: Parts of a Greek Tragedy: EthosEthosEthosEthos is a Greek word meaning  is a Greek word meaning

"character" that is used to describe the "character" that is used to describe the guiding beliefs or ideals that guiding beliefs or ideals that characterize a community, nation, or characterize a community, nation, or ideology. ideology.

When a writer uses ethos s/he is When a writer uses ethos s/he is appealing to an audience’s characterappealing to an audience’s character

Example: "If my age doesn’t convince Example: "If my age doesn’t convince you that my opinion matters, at least you that my opinion matters, at least consider that I am your grandfather and consider that I am your grandfather and I love you dearly."I love you dearly."

Parts of a Greek Tragedy: Parts of a Greek Tragedy: LogosLogos

Logos is an appeal to logic, and is a way Logos is an appeal to logic, and is a way of persuading an audience by reason.of persuading an audience by reason.

A writer tries to convince the reader A writer tries to convince the reader that his or her point is valid because it’s that his or her point is valid because it’s logical logical

Example: "It’s a matter of common Example: "It’s a matter of common sense that people deserve to be treated sense that people deserve to be treated equally. The Constitution calls it ‘self-equally. The Constitution calls it ‘self-evident.’ Why, then, should I have been evident.’ Why, then, should I have been denied a seat because of my disability?"denied a seat because of my disability?"

Parts of a Greek Tragedy: Parts of a Greek Tragedy: Characteristics of a Tragic HeroCharacteristics of a Tragic Hero

Character must...Character must...1.1. be of noble/high staturebe of noble/high stature2.2. have a tragic flaw have a tragic flaw 3.3. face a downfall face a downfall 4.4. experience enlightenmentexperience enlightenment5.5. ultimately die or be pretty close to it! ultimately die or be pretty close to it!

Oedipus IS a tragic hero...How does he fit Oedipus IS a tragic hero...How does he fit these characteristics? these characteristics?

Parts of a Greek Tragedy: Parts of a Greek Tragedy: HubrisHubris

A common fatal flawA common fatal flaw

TOO MUCH PRIDE; ARROGANCETOO MUCH PRIDE; ARROGANCE

audacityaudacity, , blusterbluster, , brass,brass,  conceitedness,conceitedness,  

contemptuousness,contemptuousness,  disdainfulness,disdainfulness,  egoego, egotism, , egotism, gallgall, ,

haughtiness, haughtiness, highhandedness,highhandedness, imperiousness,  imperiousness, 

insolenceinsolence, , loftiness,loftiness, ostentation,  ostentation, pompous,pompous,  

presumptionpresumption, , pretensionpretension, , priggishness,priggishness, scornfulness, scornfulness, self-importanceself-importance, self-love, , self-love,

smugnesssmugness, , superciliousness,superciliousness,  swaggerswagger, , vanityvanity

Shall we review the Oedipus Shall we review the Oedipus story? story?

What do you remember? What do you remember?