Greek Tragedy Unit Notes

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Greek Tragedy Unit Notes
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Tragedy

• A play in which a main character, or tragic hero,
  suffers a downfall
• Came into being during the 5th century
• A blending of poetry, drama, music, and dance
• First performed in honor of Dionysos, the god of
  wine and fertility

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Tragedy contd

• Sources of plots were myths and everyday life
• Function was to arouse pity and fear in the
  audience to purge or cleanse them of these
  unsettling emotions

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Thespis father of drama

• First to use an actor in his productions
• Performed first tragedy at the festival of
  Dionysos in 534 B.C.

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Three Important Writers of Greek Tragic Drama

• Aeschylus
• Established true dialogue by adding a second
  actor

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Important Writers contd

• Sophocles
• Introduced a third actor
• Introduced painted sets
• Expanded the size of the chorus to 15
• Changed the kinds of music used by chorus

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Important Writers contd

• Euripides
• Used the chorus as commentator and an ornament to
  main dialogue

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Purposes of chorus

• Create a psychological and emotional background
  through its odes
• Introduce and question new characters
• Point out the significance of events
• Establish facts and affirm the outlook of society
• Cover the passage of time between events
• Separate episodes

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Main divisions of a typical tragedy

• Prologue opening scene to establish background
  of story
• Parados entrance of the chorus (usually
  chanting a lyric)
• Episode counterpart of the modern act or scene

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Main divisions contd

• Stasimon choral ode comes at the end of each
  episode
• Exodus final action after last stasimon ended
  by ceremonial exit of all players

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Conventions of Greek Theater

• Limited number of actors
• All male actors
• Broad stage movements
• Elongated masks to denote character played,
  amplify sound, allow same character to play
  several parts

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Conventions contd

• Boots with built-up soles
• Elaborate and colorful costumes
• Minimal scenery because there was no curtain
• Altar to Dionysos at center stage ensuring some
  reference to gods
• Prohibition against violence on stage

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Elements of Tragedy

• Reversal of situation a change by which the
  action veers around to its opposite
• Scene of recognition a change from ignorance to
  knowledge
• Scene of suffering a scene of destructive or
  painful action
• A tragic hero initiates his own downfall

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Traits of a Tragic Hero

• In tragedy, the central character
• Passes from happiness to misery
• Must not be perfectly virtuous and just
• Must initiate his own downfall by a flaw of
  character (tragic flaw) or by an error in
  judgment

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Unities of Greek Theater

• Action one basic story
• Time within 24 hours
• Place few scene changes