GREEK THEATRE THE BIRTHPLACE OF WESTERN DRAMA
Mar 30, 2015
GREEK THEATRETHE BIRTHPLACE OF
WESTERN DRAMA
FESTIVALS OF DIONYSUS
In honor of the god of Wine and Fertility
Myths relate to seasonal growing cycles and passions of Man
Purpose of worship was inducement of fertility
8th-7th Century B.C.--contests of choral dancing held at many festivals ; “dithyrambs”
DITHYRAMB“Ecstatic Hymn”
A RELIGIOUS CHANT OR SONG PERFORMED IN RYTHYM AND
WITH DANCING
First Definite Record of Drama in Greece: 534 B.C.
“City Dionysia” (late March) reorganized
Contest for Best Tragedy instituted
Winner of first contest is Thespis, who also acted in the performance
Actors today are known as “Thespians”, in honor of the first known Greek actor.
“HYPOKRITE”
GREEK WORD FOR ACTOR, MEANS “WEARER OF MASKS”
“CHORAGUS”
A wealthy patron, wishing to honor the gods, pays for the cost of a production
Precursor to the “Producer”
GREEK THEATRE STRUCTURES
“Amphitheatres” Built onto hillsides Originally temporary
wooden structures, later made of stone
Were considered a form of temple
Some held up to 20,000 spectators
Parts of a Greek Theatre ORKESTRA: circular
acting space at center, translates as “dancing place”
THYMELE: Altar stone at center of orkestra
TEATRON: Spectator seating; “seeing place”
SKENE: Stage building behind orkestra; where we get the words “scene” and “scenery”
Parts of a Greek Theatre PARADOS/PARADOI: entry
ramps for the chorus between the Teatron and Skene; where we get the word “parade”
PERIAKTOI: Three-sided turnable column used as a scenic device, placed in space between columns of skene
MACHINA: Crane-like device used to suspend celestial figures above the action; “deus ex machina” means “god from the machine”
SKENE
STAGE HOUSE: provides scenic background, a place to change costumes, place to exit
Had one to three doors May have been raised up
off ground level Developed a second
story in later years
Side View: Orkestra and Teatron
Orkestra with Thymele, Skene
Teatron
AUDITORIUM“The Hearing Place”
Includes Orkestra and Teatron
Seating for the Priests
The Head Priest’s Chair
GREEK PLAYWRIGHTS Only 5 playwrights and 45 plays survive According to Aristotle, drama developed out of
improvisation by the leaders of the dithyrambs Early “plays”, such as those by Thespis, were
no more than a discourse between one actor (“Protagonist”) and the chorus.
In later years, playwrights wrote 3 Tragedies and one Satyr Play for the contests at the City Dionysia
AESCHYLUS: 525-456 B.C.
Tragic Playwright, Introduced Second Actor, “Deuteragonist”
Encouraged face-to-face conflict between characters
reduced importance of chorus, size from 50 to @15
Wrote AGAMEMMNON and PROMETHEUS BOUND
SOPHOCLES: 496-406 B.C.
Considered greatest Greek dramatist, wrote tragedies
Created Third Actor More concerned with
human relationships than religious issues
Wrote OEDIPUS THE KING and ANTIGONE
EURIPIDES: 480-406 B.C.
Last of great Greek Tragic playwrights
Reduced chorus to relatively unimportant role
Treated Gods with lack of awe
Wrote MEDEA and THE TROJAN WOMEN
ARISTOPHANES: 450-385 B.C.
Comic Playwright, “Old Comedy”, discusses “happy idea”
Wrote LYSISTRATA, an anti-war comedy
MENANDER: 342-292 B.C.
Comic playwright, “New Comedy” More secular-based, often a comedy of
“manners” Copied by the Romans, more like a
“sitcom” Wrote ARBITRATION and
DYSCOLUS (“The Old Grouch”)
GREEK TRAGEDIES General pattern developed by Aeschylus PROLOGOS: establishes dramatic situation PARODOS: Entrance of Chorus, “exposition” EPEISODA: main action, equivalent of an “Act” STASIMA: Choral interlude, makes comment on the
action in the Epeisoda Climax occurs in last Epeisoda, so that last Stasima
allows final comment by the chorus EXODOS: Final summation and exit of Chorus