Greek Theater

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Greek Theater
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Purpose of Greek Theater
To honor the Greek God Dionysus God of Wine and
Fertility
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Beginning of Greek Theater

• DithyrambsDances and hymns.
• Choral groups were organized
• Thespis stepped away from the chorus.
• Thespian.An Actor
• Festivals began (contestsIvy garland prize)
• Trilogiesthree tragedies followed by a satire.

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Performance Places

• Outdoors
• Amphitheater
• OrchestraActing Place
• Skene-a small building to change costumes and
  enter and exit the stage.
• ObsceneBehind the skene

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Greek Theatrical Conventions

• MasksRepresented character.
• Only Men acted. Only two or three actors besides
  the chorus.
• Cothurnusthick soled shoes.
• Plays occurred within 24 hour time period.

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Staging Devices

• Periaktoiprisms.
• Deus ex machinagod in the machine
• Plot device for unexpected and convenient
  solution.

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Aeschylus (525-456 BC)

• Father of Tragedy
• Two myths
• Sent to tend grapes fell asleep dreamed of
  Dionysus who told him to write plays.
• Died when an eagle, attempting to crack a
  turtles shell mistook the playwrights bald head
  for a rock
• Invented trilogy/ added second actor
• Reduced chorus from 50 to 12
• Best known Oresteia Trilogy

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Sophocles (496-406 BC)

• Won first competition by beating Aeschylus.
• Added a third actor
• Theban Trilogy (Oedipus, Antigone)

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Euripides (480-406 BC)

• Sophocles said Euripides depicted people as they
  are.
• Not popular.
• Social consequences.
• Medea.

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Aristophanes (448-380BC)

• Finest comic writer
• Satire
• Lysistrata Sex Strike

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Basic Elements of Tragedy

• Hero faces an overwhelming conflict
• Hero has a tragic flaw
• Hero takes a fall
• Hero learns something in his fall.
• Order is restored

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Greek Tragedy

• Hero is elevated
• Story has to occur within 24 hours
• Little humor
• Religious in nature Gods and Goddesses
• Audience has catharsis
• Supernatural elements