The Theban Plays of Ancient Greece. History of Greek Theater Greek drama began as part of seasonal festivals honoring Dionysus, the god of wine and fertility.

The Theban Plays of Ancient GreeceThe Theban Plays of Ancient Greece

History of Greek TheaterHistory of Greek Theater

Greek drama began as part of Greek drama began as part of seasonal festivals honoring seasonal festivals honoring DionysusDionysus, the god of wine and , the god of wine and fertility.fertility.

Plays were usually produced Plays were usually produced in the spring, during the in the spring, during the harvest, which was symbolic harvest, which was symbolic of renewal and rejuvenation.of renewal and rejuvenation.

Stories were well known to the Stories were well known to the audience (think Cinderella). audience (think Cinderella). Audiences wanted to see a Audiences wanted to see a fresh take on a familiar story.fresh take on a familiar story.

• Three tragedies were performed as well as one satyr play, a Three tragedies were performed as well as one satyr play, a comedy about the gods.comedy about the gods.

• The plays were watched in open air amphitheaters (15,000- The plays were watched in open air amphitheaters (15,000- 40,000 people). 40,000 people).

• The plays were judged by a committee and a winner would The plays were judged by a committee and a winner would be announced. Winners were highly honored.be announced. Winners were highly honored.

A bird’s eye view of the theaterA bird’s eye view of the theater

Theater above the Temple of Apollo at DelphiTheater above the Temple of Apollo at Delphi

Your view as an audience member would look like…Your view as an audience member would look like…

Because the audience was so huge, and people were often Because the audience was so huge, and people were often seated far away from the stage (or orchestra), the actors seated far away from the stage (or orchestra), the actors needed to make themselves “larger than life.”needed to make themselves “larger than life.”

So the actors wore masks. Some scholars believe that the So the actors wore masks. Some scholars believe that the actors also wore high-heeled shoes called actors also wore high-heeled shoes called kothornoikothornoi..

Special Effects in Greek TheaterSpecial Effects in Greek Theater

The The ekkyklemaekkyklema, or , or ““rolled out rolled out thing,thing,”” was a mechanical was a mechanical device to roll out characters device to roll out characters (dead) or other things behind (dead) or other things behind the scene’s actions.the scene’s actions.

This helped to prevent gory This helped to prevent gory or murderous scenes from or murderous scenes from taking place on stage.taking place on stage.

Special Effects in Greek TheaterSpecial Effects in Greek Theater

The The mechanemechane was a pulley device used to raise actors was a pulley device used to raise actors in the air, which helped to represent actors flying in air.in the air, which helped to represent actors flying in air.

The Greek ChorusThe Greek Chorus

The Greek tragic chorus was a group of 15 men who would The Greek tragic chorus was a group of 15 men who would sing and dance, but their role was also to:sing and dance, but their role was also to:•respond to the play in a manner the playwright hoped the respond to the play in a manner the playwright hoped the audience would (or to represent the ideal spectator).audience would (or to represent the ideal spectator).•reflect on what has happened and what might happen next reflect on what has happened and what might happen next (also known as foreshadowing).(also known as foreshadowing).•speak to and advise central characters regarding what they speak to and advise central characters regarding what they (the main characters) should do.(the main characters) should do.

Images of the Greek chorusImages of the Greek chorus

Images of the Greek chorusImages of the Greek chorus

Images of the Greek chorusImages of the Greek chorus

Interesting fact:Interesting fact:

The first “actor” came from the ancient Greek chorus.The first “actor” came from the ancient Greek chorus.

According to legend, Thespis of Athens became the first According to legend, Thespis of Athens became the first actor in the Western world when he stepped outside the actor in the Western world when he stepped outside the Greek chorus and entered into a dialogue with it.Greek chorus and entered into a dialogue with it.

This is why actors are called This is why actors are called thesbiansthesbians..

Sophocles Sophocles

He was born around 496 B.C. He was born around 496 B.C. during Greeceduring Greece’’s golden age, s golden age, and died around 406 B.C.and died around 406 B.C.

He wrote around 123 plays, He wrote around 123 plays, but only seven remain in but only seven remain in existence.existence.

At the age of 28 he won first At the age of 28 he won first prize at the Athens drama prize at the Athens drama festival and after that never festival and after that never finished lower than 2finished lower than 2ndnd place. place.

Sophocles, continuedSophocles, continued

He was very interested in He was very interested in showing how a personshowing how a person’’s life s life is shaped by his choices and is shaped by his choices and whims of chance (the fate – whims of chance (the fate – free will debate).free will debate).

The dangers of excessive The dangers of excessive pride (pride (hubrishubris) became a ) became a theme that Sophocles often theme that Sophocles often touched upon.touched upon.

The Theban CycleThe Theban Cycle

Sophocles wrote three plays, a trilogy, that centered around Sophocles wrote three plays, a trilogy, that centered around the royal house of Thebes (the royal house of Thebes (Oedipus the KingOedipus the King, , Oedipus at Oedipus at ColonusColonus, and , and AntigoneAntigone). ).

AntigoneAntigone , the third play in the series was actually written , the third play in the series was actually written first, then first, then Oedipus the King Oedipus the King (the first play), and finally (the first play), and finally Oedipus at Colonus Oedipus at Colonus (second play).(second play).

The three plays are linked together by specific characters The three plays are linked together by specific characters but the themes and issues are drastically different in each. but the themes and issues are drastically different in each.

Elements of Greek TragedyElements of Greek Tragedy

Aristotle, an ancient Aristotle, an ancient Greek philosopher, Greek philosopher, studied the plays of his studied the plays of his time and noticed a trend time and noticed a trend in the main characters.in the main characters.

Aristotle coined the Aristotle coined the phrase phrase tragic hero tragic hero and and found that many of the found that many of the heroic figures contained heroic figures contained similar characteristics.similar characteristics.

The Characteristics of a Tragic HeroThe Characteristics of a Tragic Hero

A tragic hero is larger than life and A tragic hero is larger than life and shows no one is immune to tragedy.shows no one is immune to tragedy.

A tragic hero must rise to good A tragic hero must rise to good fortune and then fall to death or fortune and then fall to death or defeat.defeat.

A tragic hero usually falls because A tragic hero usually falls because of a flaw in his/her character known of a flaw in his/her character known as a tragic flaw (as a tragic flaw (hamartiahamartia). ).

A tragic hero inspires pity and fear A tragic hero inspires pity and fear in his/her audience. in his/her audience.

The Tragic ProcessThe Tragic Process

The experience of the tragic hero can be outlined as seven The experience of the tragic hero can be outlined as seven different different ““stepssteps”” in a sequence of actions. in a sequence of actions.

1. Initial Incident1. Initial Incident: this is the action that gets the play : this is the action that gets the play moving, often some kind of conflict or problem.moving, often some kind of conflict or problem.

2. Rising Action2. Rising Action: this event pushes the tragic hero toward his : this event pushes the tragic hero toward his peak of fortune.peak of fortune.

3. Climax3. Climax: this is the turning point when the tragic hero’s : this is the turning point when the tragic hero’s fortunes begin to turn for the worse.fortunes begin to turn for the worse.

4. Falling Action4. Falling Action: this is when the world of the tragic hero : this is when the world of the tragic hero begins to collapse.begins to collapse.

5. Anagnorisis5. Anagnorisis: this : this ““moment of recognitionmoment of recognition”” allows the allows the tragic hero to become aware of what has happened, what tragic hero to become aware of what has happened, what went wrong, and what the truth is. The tragic hero has went wrong, and what the truth is. The tragic hero has suffered from suffered from ““mental blindness,mental blindness,”” mistaking appearance for mistaking appearance for reality and clinging to an unreliable truth.reality and clinging to an unreliable truth.

The Tragic Process, continuedThe Tragic Process, continued

6. Catastrophe6. Catastrophe: despite the tragic hero’s anagnorisis, he or : despite the tragic hero’s anagnorisis, he or she cannot prevent the inevitable death or defeat which she cannot prevent the inevitable death or defeat which results from the mistakes made.results from the mistakes made.

7. Order Restored7. Order Restored: this is the time when, after the tragedy : this is the time when, after the tragedy plays itself out, the world manages to keep going; it is the plays itself out, the world manages to keep going; it is the time when the strength of the human species is time when the strength of the human species is demonstrated because the tragedy teaches all of us but demonstrated because the tragedy teaches all of us but destroys destroys ““onlyonly”” a few. The audience then walks away with a few. The audience then walks away with a feeling of a feeling of catharsiscatharsis..

The Tragic Process, continuedThe Tragic Process, continued