Greek Tragedy Everything you wanted to know about Greek tragedy but were afraid to ask.

Greek TragedyGreek Tragedy

Everything you wanted to Everything you wanted to know about Greek tragedy know about Greek tragedy

but were afraid to askbut were afraid to ask

What are we going to talk What are we going to talk about?about?

The Origins of TragedyThe Origins of Tragedy Which Cities Performed TragedyWhich Cities Performed Tragedy When Tragedy was PerformedWhen Tragedy was Performed The Parts of a Greek TheaterThe Parts of a Greek Theater The Theaters ThemselvesThe Theaters Themselves The Major PlaywrightsThe Major Playwrights The Way a Greek Tragedy Was StagedThe Way a Greek Tragedy Was Staged

- number of actors- number of actors- the costumes- the costumes- the masks- the masks- the audience- the audience

The Origins of TragedyThe Origins of Tragedy

Originated from the Originated from the dithyrambdithyramb: a : a choral song in honor of Dionysoschoral song in honor of Dionysos

Arion of MethymnaArion of Methymna (7 (7thth century) was century) was the first to write a choral song, the first to write a choral song, practice it with a chorus, and perform practice it with a chorus, and perform itit

Lasus of HermioneLasus of Hermione was the first to was the first to do it at Athensdo it at Athens

Connected with the worship of Connected with the worship of Dionysos in AthensDionysos in Athens

The Origins of TragedyThe Origins of Tragedy

Thespis of CorinthThespis of Corinth The first travelling The first travelling

actoractor Active c. 538-28 Active c. 538-28

BCEBCE Added prologue and Added prologue and

speech to choral speech to choral performanceperformance

Said to have Said to have invented the maskinvented the mask

Who Performed Tragedy?Who Performed Tragedy?

CorinthCorinth: c. 600 (Arion): c. 600 (Arion)SicyonSicyon: c. 550 : c. 550

- Cleisthenes (not the Athenian)- Cleisthenes (not the Athenian)

- Epigenes- EpigenesAthensAthens: c. 510 : c. 510

- only Athenian dramas left- only Athenian dramas left

- “school of Hellas”- “school of Hellas”

When Was Tragedy When Was Tragedy Performed?Performed?

City Dionysia @ AthensCity Dionysia @ Athens

- aka “Greater Dionysia”- aka “Greater Dionysia”

- end of March- end of March Rural DionysiaRural Dionysia

- different demes had performances- different demes had performances

- “off-Broadway”- “off-Broadway”

- various dates in December- various dates in December The LenaeaThe Lenaea

- less prestigious- less prestigious

- sometime in late January/early February- sometime in late January/early February

Where Was Tragedy Where Was Tragedy Performed?Performed?

almost every Greek almost every Greek city had a theatercity had a theater

Theaters could be Theaters could be very small or hugevery small or huge

Each theater had Each theater had specific partsspecific parts

Usually in the Usually in the center of the citycenter of the city

The Parts of a TheaterThe Parts of a Theater

The OrchestraThe OrchestraThe acting areaThe acting areasemi-circularsemi-circularHad a small altar Had a small altar

to Dionysos in to Dionysos in the centerthe center

Where the Where the Chorus danced Chorus danced and the actors and the actors spokespoke

The Parts of a TheaterThe Parts of a Theater

The SkeneThe SkeneThe large backdropThe large backdropCould be decorated with sceneryCould be decorated with sceneryWhere the action actually took place Where the action actually took place

(hidden)(hidden)Roof was accessibleRoof was accessibleOriginally one door in the center, but Originally one door in the center, but

eventually had three doorseventually had three doors

The SkeneThe Skene

The Parts of a TheaterThe Parts of a Theater

The EkkyklThe Ekkyklēmaēma A wheeled platform A wheeled platform Used to display set Used to display set

piecespieces AgamemnonAgamemnon

The MThe Mēchanēēchanē a large cranea large crane Used for the Used for the

entrance of godsentrance of gods Deus ex machinaDeus ex machina

The TheatersThe Theaters

Theater of Theater of DionysosDionysos AthensAthens Main theater for Main theater for

tragedytragedy 44thth century remains century remains c. 20,000 seatsc. 20,000 seats Located on side of Located on side of

AcropolisAcropolis

Theater of DionysosTheater of Dionysos

Theater of DionysosTheater of Dionysos

The TheatersThe Theaters

Theater of Theater of EpidaurosEpidauros The best-preservedThe best-preserved Largest surviving Largest surviving

theatertheater Located near Argos Located near Argos

in the in the PeloponnesusPeloponnesus

Sanctuary of Sanctuary of AesclepiusAesclepius

Still in use todayStill in use today

Theater of EpidaurosTheater of Epidauros

Theater of EpidaurosTheater of Epidauros

The TheatersThe Theaters

Theater of Theater of PergamonPergamon In Asia Minor In Asia Minor

(Turkey)(Turkey) Extremely steep Extremely steep

seatingseating Fit to the terrainFit to the terrain Pergamon one of Pergamon one of

the most wealthy the most wealthy Asian citiesAsian cities

Theater of PergamonTheater of Pergamon

The PlaywrightsThe Playwrights

Three major tragediansThree major tragediansAeschylusAeschylusSophoclesSophoclesEuripidesEuripides

All active in the 5All active in the 5thth century centuryAll won first place in multiple All won first place in multiple

competitionscompetitionsOnly Athenian plays surviveOnly Athenian plays survive

AeschylusAeschylus b. 525 d. 456 (Sicily)b. 525 d. 456 (Sicily) Fought at Marathon Fought at Marathon

““Aeschylus, Euphorion's Aeschylus, Euphorion's son of Athens, lies son of Athens, lies under this stone dead in under this stone dead in Gela among the white Gela among the white wheatlands; a man at wheatlands; a man at need good in fight -- need good in fight -- witness the hallowed witness the hallowed field of Marathon, field of Marathon, witness the long-haired witness the long-haired Mede.”Mede.”

First tragedy 499First tragedy 499 First first prize 484 (13 First first prize 484 (13

overall)overall)

AeschylusAeschylus

Introduced the second actorIntroduced the second actor Wrote over 70 plays (seven survive)Wrote over 70 plays (seven survive) Always reveredAlways revered Main interest is in situation and event Main interest is in situation and event

rather than characterrather than character Oresteia, Seven Against ThebesOresteia, Seven Against Thebes Pericles directed the chorus for Pericles directed the chorus for PersiansPersians Both sons were very successful Both sons were very successful

playwrightsplaywrights

SophoclesSophocles

b. 496 d. 406b. 496 d. 406 Served as a general Served as a general

with Pericles (441)with Pericles (441) Very active in city Very active in city

politics (413)politics (413) First tragedy 468First tragedy 468 First first prize 468First first prize 468

Won 18 first prizesWon 18 first prizes Never finished thirdNever finished third

SophoclesSophocles

Introduced the third actorIntroduced the third actorWrote over 120 plays (seven survive)Wrote over 120 plays (seven survive)The most successful of the Big ThreeThe most successful of the Big ThreeChallenged conventional moresChallenged conventional mores Introduced more dialogue between Introduced more dialogue between

characters (less Chorus)characters (less Chorus)Oedipus Tyrannus, Oedipus at Oedipus Tyrannus, Oedipus at

Colonus, Antigone, ElectraColonus, Antigone, Electra

EuripidesEuripides

b. 485 d. 406 (in b. 485 d. 406 (in Macedonia)Macedonia)

Not active militarily Not active militarily or politicallyor politically

First tragedy 455First tragedy 455 First first prize 441First first prize 441

Won only four first Won only four first prizesprizes

The least successful The least successful of the Big Threeof the Big Three

EuripidesEuripides

No innovations on the stageNo innovations on the stageWrote ninety plays (19 survive)Wrote ninety plays (19 survive)Sophocles: “I present men as they Sophocles: “I present men as they

ought to be, Euripides presents men ought to be, Euripides presents men as they are.”as they are.”

More realistic than the other twoMore realistic than the other twoAlcestis, Medea, Hippolytus, Alcestis, Medea, Hippolytus,

Bacchae, OrestesBacchae, Orestes

The Staging of TragedyThe Staging of Tragedy ““Classical theater resembled today’s rock concerts: Classical theater resembled today’s rock concerts:

the audience knew every number by heart, the audience knew every number by heart, performers wore high heels, loud costumes and performers wore high heels, loud costumes and heavy make-up, and they relied on background heavy make-up, and they relied on background singers, known as the Chorus.”singers, known as the Chorus.”

-Howard Tomb-Howard Tomb

The Staging of TragedyThe Staging of Tragedy

““The audience knew every number by The audience knew every number by heart…”heart…”

Most tragedies dealt with mythological themesMost tragedies dealt with mythological themes

““Performers wore high heels, loud Performers wore high heels, loud costumes and heavy make-up…”costumes and heavy make-up…”

They wore elaborate clothes, tall boots, and masksThey wore elaborate clothes, tall boots, and masks

““They relied on background singers, They relied on background singers, known as the Chorus.”known as the Chorus.”

Especially after the introduction of the third actorEspecially after the introduction of the third actor

The Staging of Tragedy - The Staging of Tragedy - ActorsActors

Maximum of three actorsMaximum of three actorsAeschylus secondAeschylus secondSophocles thirdSophocles third

All roles played by menAll roles played by menSame group of actors for each set of Same group of actors for each set of

plays for each authorplays for each author

The Staging of Tragedy - The Staging of Tragedy - ActorsActors

Playwrights did not act in their own Playwrights did not act in their own plays after Sophoclesplays after Sophocles

Chorus publicly fundedChorus publicly fundedA A choregoschoregos would pay for and train the would pay for and train the

choruschorusViewed as a civic dutyViewed as a civic dutyCould be prosecuted for failing to do it Could be prosecuted for failing to do it

wealthy enoughwealthy enoughChoregosChoregos got a monument if his chorus won got a monument if his chorus won

The Staging of Tragedy - The Staging of Tragedy - CostumesCostumes

Actor wore:Actor wore:MaskMaskRobesRobesPlatform boots Platform boots

((kothornoikothornoi))Chorus could be Chorus could be

in costume in costume (comedy)(comedy)

The Staging of Tragedy - The Staging of Tragedy - MasksMasks

The most salient featureThe most salient feature All parts by men, so mask All parts by men, so mask

depicted genderdepicted gender Acted as a megaphoneActed as a megaphone Voice inflection paramountVoice inflection paramount

Multiple Masks = Multiple Masks = Multiple CharactersMultiple Characters Only three actorsOnly three actors More than three speaking More than three speaking

roles, need for costume roles, need for costume and mask changeand mask change

Oedipus and his eyesOedipus and his eyes

The AudienceThe Audience

Any male could attendAny male could attendWomen most likely able to attendWomen most likely able to attendAeschylus’ FuriesAeschylus’ Furies

State funded attendanceState funded attendanceCost was the average daily wage of a laborerCost was the average daily wage of a laborerTheoric FundTheoric Fund

Never suspended, even when Athens in dire Never suspended, even when Athens in dire straightsstraights

Supplied public ticketsSupplied public tickets““Must-see TV”Must-see TV”

The AudienceThe Audience

CatharsisCatharsis““learning through suffering”learning through suffering”Moderation is to be sought in all Moderation is to be sought in all

things, even good thingsthings, even good thingsThe mighty fall so far that we admire The mighty fall so far that we admire

them for being so highthem for being so highA spiritual cleansing of the audienceA spiritual cleansing of the audiencePerformances emotionalPerformances emotional