Background of Greek Tragedy

8/6/2019 Background of Greek Tragedy

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Background of Greek Tragedy



Greek tragedies were composed and performedGreek tragedies were composed and performedfor a national religious festival; mystery andfor a national religious festival; mystery and

morality plays were created by and for themorality plays were created by and for themedieval world. It was performed in Athens atmedieval world. It was performed in Athens atthe three annual festivals of Dionysius, the mostthe three annual festivals of Dionysius, the mostimportant of which was the Great, or City,important of which was the Great, or City,Dionysia in late MarchDionysia in late March

On three successive morning, at this festival,On three successive morning, at this festival,three tragic poets, who had been selectedthree tragic poets, who had been selectedcompetitively earlier in the year, eachcompetitively earlier in the year, eachpronounced a tetralogy (merangkaikan 4pronounced a tetralogy (merangkaikan 4cerita/sandiwara yang saling berhubungan)cerita/sandiwara yang saling berhubungan)consisting of 3 tragedies and a satyr consisting of 3 tragedies and a satyr--play.play.(satyr (satyrin Greek and Roman myths = god of thein Greek and Roman myths = god of thewoods, half man and half goat.)woods, half man and half goat.)



In addition, the festival featured comic and religiousIn addition, the festival featured comic and religious processions and rituals of various kinds. At the close processions and rituals of various kinds. At the close

of the festival ten judges who had been chosen by lotof the festival ten judges who had been chosen by lotdetermined the winner and awarded prizes.determined the winner and awarded prizes.

The cost of production were paid by choregus, aThe cost of production were paid by choregus, awealthy citizens appointed by the government to dowealthy citizens appointed by the government to dothis as a liturgy (=tata kebaktian/peribadatan) or this as a liturgy (=tata kebaktian/peribadatan) or

public service. public service. Because the attendance was a civic and religiousBecause the attendance was a civic and religious

obligation as well as a source of entertainment,obligation as well as a source of entertainment,admission to the theatre was originally free. When itadmission to the theatre was originally free. When it

eventually became necessary to charge tickets, theeventually became necessary to charge tickets, theState provided funds for all citizens who could notState provided funds for all citizens who could notafford the price.afford the price.



Origins Tragedy is thought to have developed from the ancient

dithyramb, or choral lyric, which was sung by a male chorus inhonor of the god Dionysius at his annual festivals. Theseperformances also included group dancing and probably somebrief dialogue between the leader and the chorus. At first, thedithyramb was a crude improvisation based on the myths about Dionysius and may have taken the form of a rough burlesque(=ejekan dalam bentuk sandiwara, bahan tertawaan yangkasar), or satire (=sindiran), from which the satyr-play of classical drama was arrived.

In time, it came to have a more formal artistic structure and itscontent was expanded to include storied from the wholelegendary tradition.



PlotsPlots

The stories used in tragedy were taken almostThe stories used in tragedy were taken almost

exclusively from the great cycles of mythology,exclusively from the great cycles of mythology,

although occasionally, a poet might draw upon aalthough occasionally, a poet might draw upon a

contemporary theme. These ancient myths andcontemporary theme. These ancient myths andheroic legends were like a bible to the Greeks,heroic legends were like a bible to the Greeks,

for they recorded what was thought to be thefor they recorded what was thought to be the

collective social, political and religious history of collective social, political and religious history of

the people, and included many profound andthe people, and included many profound andsearching tales aboutsearching tales about the problem of human lifethe problem of human life

and the nature of gods.and the nature of gods.



� The custom requiring the use of these

mythological stories in tragedy satisfied andessential requirement of the religious function of

drama, for it enabled the poets to deal with

subjects of great moral dignity and emotional

significance.� The solemn and exalted quality of Greek

tragedy, and the purposeful examination of the

meaning of life in which its characters engage,

are even today able to make a deep impressionon readers, and are direct result of the use of

stories based on mythological themes.



The chorus

The chorus was the nucleus from which tragedy evolved andit continued to have a central place in the drama throughoutclassical times. The use of the chorus varied depending onthe method of the playwright and the needs of the play beingperformed, but most often it acted as the µideal spectator¶.

In general the tragedians used the chorus:-to create a psychological and emotional background to theaction through its odes.

-to introduce and questioning new characters.

-to point out the significance of events as they occurred.

-to establish facts and affirm the outlook of society.

-to cover the passage of the time between events and toseparate episodes.



StructureStructure

Classical tragedies were composedClassical tragedies were composed

within a definite structuralwithin a definite structural

framework, although there areframework, although there are

occasional minor variations in someoccasional minor variations in someplays. But it should be rememberedplays. But it should be remembered

that such notation is artificial and isthat such notation is artificial and is

inserted only for illustrativeinserted only for illustrative

purposes, since Greek tragedy waspurposes, since Greek tragedy wasperformed without intermissions or performed without intermissions or

breaks.breaks.



The following are the main

elements of typical tragedy: Prologue the opening scene, in the background of the story

is establish, usually by a single actor or in a dialogue betweentwo actors.

Parodos the entrance of the chorus, usually chanting a lyricwhich bears some relation to the main theme of the play.

Episode the counter part the modern act or scene, in whichthe plot is developed through action and dialogue between theactors, with the chorus sometimes playing a minor role.

Stasimon the choral ode. A stasimon comes at the end of each episode so that a tragedy is a measured alternative

between these elements. Exodos the final action after the last stasimon, ended by the

ceremonial exit of all the players.



The theater and theatricalThe theater and theatrical

equipmentequipment TheThe GreekGreek theater theater waswas builtbuilt inin thethe openopen air air andand waswas

generallygenerally quietquiet largelarge;; thethe theater theater of of DionysiusDionysius atat Athens, Athens, for for example,example, hadhad moremore thanthan 1717..000000 seats,seats, thethe

theaterstheaters werewere usuallyusually builtbuilt inin hollowedhollowed--outout hillsides,hillsides,andand despitedespite their their sizesize hadhad excellentexcellent acoustics,acoustics, soso thatthatwordswords spokenspoken byby thethe performersperformers couldcould easilyeasily bebe heardheardinin allall sectionssections..

TheThe theatrontheatron waswas thethe areaarea inin whichwhich thethe audienceaudience satsat.. ItItwaswas shapedshaped likelike aa horseshoehorseshoe andand hadhad rowsrows of of stonestoneseatsseats risingrising upwardupward andand backwardbackward inin tierstiers.. InIn thethe firstfirstrowsrows werewere stonestone thronesthrones for for thethe principalprincipal citizenscitizens andandthethe priestpriest of of DionysiusDionysius..



TheThe circularcircular areaarea at at thethe groundground levellevel whichwhich waswas enclosedenclosed inin threethree sidessidesbyby thethe UU--shapedshaped theatrontheatron waswas knownknown asas thethe orchestra,orchestra, oror dancingdancingplaceplace of of thethe choruschorus.. InIn itsits centercenter waswas thethe thymelethymele,, anan altaraltar toto DionysiusDionysiusonon whichwhich sacrificessacrifices werewere mademade andand whichwhich waswas sometimessometimes usedused asas aastagestage propinsipropinsi duringduring playplay.. TheThe choruschorus assembledassembled inin thethe orchestraorchestraafterafter marchingmarching inin throughthrough thethe right right oror left left parodosparodos,, oror entranceentrancepassage,passage, andand remainedremained therethere duringduring thethe rest rest of of thethe performanceperformance.. TheThefluteflute playerplayer andand occasionaloccasional harpist harpist whowho providedprovided musicalmusicalaccompaniment accompaniment forfor thethe tragediestragedies generallygenerally sat sat inin aa cornercorner of of thetheorchestraorchestra..

OnOn thethe sideside of of thethe orchestraorchestra whichwhich formedformed thethe openopen endend of of thethetheatrontheatron stoodstood aa woodenwooden structure,structure, thethe skeneskene,, oror scenescene buildingbuilding.. ThisThiswaswas aa dressingdressing roomroom forfor thethe actors,actors, but but itsits façadefaçade waswas usuallyusually mademade totoresembleresemble aa palacepalace oror templetemple andand it it servedserved asas aa backdropbackdrop forfor thethe actionactionof of thethe playplay.. TheThe threethree doorsdoors of of thethe skeneskene werewere usedused forfor entrancesentrances andandexitsexits..

TheThe prosceniumproscenium waswas thethe levellevel areaarea inin front front of of thethe skeneskene onon whichwhichmost most of of thethe playsplays actionaction tooktook place,place, althoughalthough at at timestimes thethe actorsactorsmight might movemove toto thethe orchestraorchestra oror eveneven toto thethe roof roof of of thethe skeneskene.. TheThe waswasnono stagestage ,, but but thethe prosceniumproscenium maymay havehave beenbeen raisedraised oneone stepstep higherhigherthanthan thethe orchestra,orchestra, andand therethere waswas nono curtaincurtain..



Background of Greek Tragedy

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