Introduction to Greek Theatre

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Introduction to Greek Theatre Antigone

• Ms. Keener
• English II

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Drama

• A story that is written and meant to be acted out
  in front of an audience
• Theater comes from the Greek word theatron,
  or seeing place, where Greek audiences say to
  watch drama

Origins of Greek Drama

• Combination of two genres
• Myth stories that illustrate and explain a
  society
• Epic long, narrative poem telling deeds of a
  hero
• Began as songs and dances performed at religious
  ceremonies in honor of the god Dionysis, the god
  of wine and procreation
• Sophocles greatest ancient Greek playwright
• Plays dealt with morality

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Comedy Tragedy

• Comedy isnt necessarily funny
• Deals with average or below average people
• During the play, they enjoy rise in status from
  bad circumstances to good
• Rise in status is due to Fortune, or The Fates
• Characters speak in everyday language
• Tragedy isnt necessarily tragic
• Deals with higher than average people kings,
  heroes, gods
• During the play, the suffer a fall from good
  fortune
• Fall is due to Fate
• Characters speak in elevated language

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the Chorusisnt just repeated over over again
in a song

• Made up of 15 elder actors in a drama
• Think of the chorus as another actor
• The Choragos is the leader of the chorus
• During the drama, the chorus sings odes to
• Separate one scene from the next
• Give background information
• Offer reflections on events in the drama
• Strophe during the ode, the chorus moves from
  right to left
• Antistrophe during the ode, the chorus moves
  from left to right

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Aristotles Rules for Tragedya few things all
good Tragedies should have

• Hamartia the tragic flaw that leads to the
  heros downfall
• Hubris arrogance before the gods
• Reversal the opposite of what the hero intends
  to happens, happens
• Recognition The main character recognizes his
  tragic flaw and why he must die, just as he is
  about to do so

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Greek drama terms to know

• Prologue introductory scene, revealing
  background information
• Parados opening song in which the chorus
  explains the central conflict
• Exodus the final scene the exit