The Drama of Ancient Greece

1. The Drama of Ancient Greece

2. The Dramatist as Social Commentator • What is social commentary? • How are we exposed to social commentary? • How do the arts provide vehicles for social commentary?

3. Greek Culture • Greece’s history is one of a great adventure of the human mind. • Advocated self-knowledge • Art, science, philosophy • The passionate search for the truth began with the Greeks.

4. Socrates • Predominant role of morality • Awakening to the voice of the conscience • Justice, sobriety, selflessness, kindness, moral maturity • Never expected to be listened to

5. Plato • Student of Socrates: taught a spirit of absolute devotion to the truth • Interest in father-son relationships • Reason and wisdom should govern • Apparent world vs unseen world

6. Aristotle • Student of Plato • Saw philosophy as scientific study • Left works on logic, ethics and aesthetics • Opened broad avenues in history and science • “Natural philosophy” examined the phenomena of the natural world which today would include biology, physics and other natural sciences

7. Religion • Deeply religious character of the Greeks • Intensely aware of their dependence on the gods • The hero of Greek tragedy often breaks the bond and feels himself to be his own master which leads to his downfall

8. Religion • Nothing of importance was attempted without cultic sacrifice • Lived in a world pervaded by a sacred atmosphere • Viewed the sea, lightning, thunder, seasons, rivers, trees, and animals as sacred and personified them as gods

9. Religion • Art and literature were linked to religion • These grew out of the cult of the gods • Greek sculpture displayed the gracefulness of movement – they were at home with their own bodies

10. Greek creation myth • In the beginning there was void (chaos/emptiness), and from the void, came Earth and Eros (desire) • Disorder to order • Whereas the Hebrew God creates from nothing, the Greek god creates from void • Hebrew God created the universe: the universe created the Greek gods

11. Greek Drama • At its height during the 5th Century B.C. • The great Athenian tragedians: Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides emerged during this era • Plays based on traditional myths employing well known plots and characters

12. Dramatists • Interpreted the stories to express their individual conception of man involved in the struggle to understand himself, his fate and his place in human society and the universe.

13. Athenian Drama • Tragedy festivals were held at which the dramatists competed for prizes • Most important honored Dionysus, god of vegetation (especially the vine) • 3 days; dramatists each offered 3 tragedies and a satyr play • Satyr plays were often obscene and grotesque but were meant to offer comic relief; only 2 remain

14. Athenian Drama • A jury awarded prizes to the authors and their sponsors • Playwrights often directed and sometimes acted in their own plays • Aeschylus, father of tragedy; 7 complete tragedies survive. Yearly favorite; won 12 • Sophocles 100 plays, 7 complete tragedies survive; won 18-20 1st place prizes • Euripides only five wins

15. Dramatists • Expected to fulfill an educational function • Responsible for shedding light on the dark recesses of human conscience and the mysteries and tragic side of human destiny • Showed that even great man can fall prey to tragic situations