Unit 1: Foundations of Drama

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Unit 1 Foundations of Drama
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Classical Tragedy

• According to Aristotle who first defined it using
  the Greek plays that were available to him,
  tragedy is
• the imitation of an action that is serious and
  also, as having magnitude, complete in itself.
• Tragedy typically includes incidents arousing
  pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish the
  catharsis of such emotions.

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The elements of a classical tragedy

• The tragic hero, though not perfect, is certainly
  in some way morally superior to most of the
  audience (and is nearly always upper class) but
  also exhibits

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elements cont.

• Hamartia, the tragic flaw (literally, it
  translates as error of judgment) which is
  often
• hubris, loosely translated as arrogance, that
  causes the hero to believe he can outwit fate or
  violate a moral law, which leads in turn to

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elements cont.

• some kind of catastrophe, which results in
• peripeteia or a complete reversal of fortune from
  happiness to disaster
• Sounds so happy, doesnt it? ?

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Classical Unities

• From Aristotles Poetics
• Unity of Actiona play has one main action with
  few or no subplots
• Unity of Timethe action of a play should cover a
  duration of no more than 24 hours
• Unity of Placea play should cover a single
  physical space and should not attempt to compress
  geography the stage should not represent more
  than one place

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The Greek Theatre

• Large open-air theatersoften built into a hill
  with step-like seating for the audience.
• The Theater of Dionysus seated between 14,000 and
  17,000.
• Productions had to overcome difficulties related
  to
• Lighting
• Sound
• Spectator distance from the stage

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The Greek Theater

• Only men were allowed to act
• Only three actors performed on stage
• The Chorus (12-15 actors) was an important
  element of the productions
• Represented the public
• Provided background summary
• Revealed information not offered by the actors
• Reminded audience of moral issues

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Dionysia

• A spring festival honoring the god Dionysus (god
  of wine, theater, liberty)
• Highlight was a theatrical contest held at the
  Theater of Dionysus
• Winners were crowned in tragedy and comedy
  (including Satyr plays)

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Sophocles

• Born around 496 BCE probably near Attica grew up
  in Colonusthe setting for many of his plays
  came from a rather wealthy (but not aristocratic)
  family
• Had a great education and became a writer during
  his teenage years died at the age of 90 in 406
  BCE

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Sophocles

• One of the most influential writers of Ancient
  Greece
• For almost 50 years, Sophocles was the
  most-awarded playwright in the dramatic
  competitions Sophocles competed in around 30
  competitions he won perhaps 24 and never
  received lower than second place
• He wrote 123 plays, but only 7 survive in their
  entirety

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Sophocles Plays

• Oedipus the King (or Rex)
• 1. considered the perfect tragedy by
  Aristotle
• 2. conforms perfectly to the classical unities
  of action, time, and place
• Antigone
• 1. a good example of his modern techniques
• 2. setting is Thebes' civil war
• 3. Written during national tensionsoon after
  the play was published, Sophocles was appointed
  general to lead an assault on Samos Island

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Ancient Greek Culture

• Values
• 1st Honoring the Gods
• 2nd Honoring the State
• 3rd Honoring the Family Name

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Review of the Gods
Zeus Hera
Apollo
Aphrodite
Hermes
other gods
Demeter
Athena
Hephaestus
Poseidon
Ares
Artemis
Dionysus
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Map of Greece