Greece is birthplace of drama.
Athens City of greatest dramas All existing plays come from Athens. All city-states had theatres.
Beginning of theatre
Royal funerals? Festivals to honor gods Stories told and retold Myths grew up around characters
Festival to honor Dionysus
God of wine, fertility—everything delicious. Competitions held for physical and mental
skills Contests for recitations, vocal, and
instrumental music Prizes awarded. Natural to celebrate gods and heroes
Delivered by a chorus.No attempt to identify with the characters of
whom they sang.To transform dramatic poetry into drama,
one member of the chorus had to speak the words attributed to a god/hero.
Second speaker dialogue
Songs
Role of chorus Serve as nameless onlookers and
commentators Is at once a participant in and observer of
action Considered an on-stage audience Reaction of chorus designed to shape
audience’s reaction to action and characters
Chorus Action is suspended while chorus
performs. Might narrate past events, try to interpret
current situations, speculate about future Modern commentators Usually think of gods, but are NOT
spokesmen for the gods
Chorus Usually friendly to principal characters Can be both humane and fallible Danced/performed rhythmical movements
Language of chorus
All drama is written in verse, but meter of actor’s speeches mimic everyday speech.
Choral odes were more complex rhythmically than dialogue (episodes).
Variety of meters Lyrical nature (may have been sung) Metaphors/Figurative language Read odes as poems within the play. Song
in theatre—rap music.
Thespis Playwright who created the one actor
speaking in 534 BC. Significance of first actor cannot be
overemphasized. Actor can take parts; chorus members can
also take parts. Actor = hero; chorus=worshippers,
soldiers, subjects
Themes of plays Taken from Greek mythology and legends Stories were NOT original. Man at the center. Man’s feelings, relationship with gods,
preservation of human decency, preservation of household.
Fate/destiny
Early plays
Music and dance were integral. Much like opera today. Action=mime Dances expressed actions and moods. Actors trained in both voice and
movement.
Greek plays
Little action Words are more important than physical
action. Themes often violent, yet violence is never
shown onstage. Violence takes place offstage. Greek taste
forbade representation of death in view of audience.
Narration, discussion, speculation
Tragedy
Modern—plane crash, tornado. Literary sense—serious drama featuring a noble,
courageous, dignified character (often royal) who strives to achieve something and is ultimately defeated.
Defeat may be brought about by forces beyond his control (FATE) or by his own character flaw (often hubris or ambition).
Character goes from happiness to agony.
Tragedy Ends with defeat, death. Tragic hero is ennobled by his newly
gained self-knowledge and wisdom. End is one of great dignity as human spirit
prevails. Audience feels relief (catharsis). Audience identifies with hero—If tragedy
can happen to him……
Structure of a tragedy Prologue—opening speech. Gives exposition. Parados—Chorus makes entrance and gives its
perspective Episodia (episodes)—characters engage in
dialogue/heated debates Following each episode is a choral ode (stasimon)
in which chorus responds to and interprets preceding dialogue.
Exodus—Last scene—resolution.
Physical theatre
Not a commercial venture. Not run for profit. Theatre retained its religious significance. Plays presented for entertainment, but
also as an act of worship. Right and duty of every citizen to attend.
Theatre Drama was a blend of worship and revel. Also occasion of great civic importance. Drama was a responsibility of state. Polis owned theatre; drama financed out of
public funds.
Theatres Famous for acoustics Lack of scenery Could hold nearly 30,000 spectators Built into a hill with no roof Faced south to catch the warmth
Actors Costumes were magnificent and costly. Costumes were padded and actors wore
elevated shoes—seemed larger than life. Large, wooden masks which expressed
major characters’ emotions. All male
5th century BC Time of spectacular energy and prosperity Time of harmony—political, religious and
personal Aeschylus lived in extraordinary times; he
was a product of a heroic age.
Aeschylus First important writer of Greek drama. Considered the “father of Greek tragedy.” First entered Dionysia (contest) in about
500 BC. First won in 484 BC thereafter he won first prize 13 times.
458 BC—his masterpiece—The Oresteia. Known to have written over 90 plays, only
7 survive. Contributed second actor. Allowed more
dialogue.
Aeschylus Legend—Dionysus appeared to Aeschylus as a
boy and commanded him to write dramas. Few facts—born to aristocratic parents, fought in
Persian War. Aeschylus was 45 in 480 BC when Persians
defeated Athens and destroyed shrines of gods on Acropolis.
Fought in Greek army that defeated Persians.
Oresteia—tale of Orestes Three plays—”Agamemnon”,”The Libation
Bearers”, and “The Eumenides” Theme is justice. Uses story of House of Atreus to examine
how justice should be developed. Emphasizes that through suffering, one
gains wisdom
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