Ancient Greek Theater

1. Ancient Greek Theater Live from Antiquity

2. Unit Learning Objectives By the end of this unit, you will be able to: • Appreciate ancient Greek drama through the study of Sophocles play, Antigone • Evaluate the cultural and historical context of Greek drama and its role in Greek society • Reconstruct the experience of seeing a Greek drama performed and share that experience in an imaginative presentation, performance, and report

3. Points to Ponder • How does Greek drama compare to our modern theater? • How do themes in plays from other times and cultures relate to issues of today?

4. Introduction to Greek Stagecraft • Tragedies and comedies of fifth and fourth centuries B.C. were written to perform in the Theatre of Dionysus at Athens • The price of a ticket to the Theatre of Dionysus was two obols, as much as a laborer earned in a day. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://karenswhimsy.com/public-domain-images/ancient-athens/images/ancient-athens-4.jpg&imgrefurl=http://karenswhimsy.com/ancient-athens.shtm&usg=__NUhY7vaL4SMEhzpr5ybS7bdAX38=&h=349&w=550&sz=83&hl=en&start=3&sig2=n_ECiEPolRF8sNlsz7v28w&tbnid=QzTNKj4p3eJs1M:&tbnh=84&tbnw=133&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtheatre%2Bof%2BDionysus%2Bat%2BAthens%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX&ei=drP5SuSmHM2XtgfE8d3MCg

5. The Players • Because Greek tragedy and comedy originated with the chorus, the most important part of the performance space was the orchestra, which means 'a place for dancing' (orchesis). A tragic chorus consisted of 12 or 15 dancers (choreuts), who may have been young men just about to enter military service after some years of training. http://www.facebook.com/profile/pic.php?uid=AAAAAQAQxYr9hb-rM-KVMvSHq-oWkAAAAApwpeSAcmfTxgB1377c21GG

6. The Masks • The large size of the theatre dictated a non-naturalistic approach to acting. • All gestures had to be large and definite so as to 'read' from the back rows. • The masks of tragedy were of an ordinary, face-fitting size, with wigs attached, and open mouths to allow clear speech. http://www.alyssaravenwood.com/Images/press-photos/Greek-thumb/greek-tragedy-chorus.jpg

7. The Dramatists • Aeschylus—best known for play, Prometheus Bound, unknown if ever performed • Euripides—wrote about women and mythological themes; enhanced the importance of intrigue in tragedy • Sophocles http://z.about.com/d/ancienthistory/1/0/r/P/HdtAristpSophAeschPlEurSoc.jpg

8. Sophocles • Born in Athens, 496 B.C. • Work is considered the epitome of Greek tragedy • Matured during the Persian Wars • Talented and handsome • Could not pursue his dream of acting because of voice problems http://imagecache5.art.com/p/LRG/26/2693/JFTUD00Z/bust-of-sophocles-ancient-greek-dramatist-and-poet.jpg

9. Antigone—Background Information • Antigone was written at a time of national fervor. • The chorus in Antigone is interesting—composed of old men who are largely unwilling to see civil disobedience in a positive light. • Antigone deals with two main questions: • whether Polyneices ought to be given burial rituals; • whether someone who buried him in defiance of state ought to be punished.

10. Antigone—Themes • State control • Natural law • Civil disobedience • Citizenship • Family • Portrayal of the gods http://www.kmacare.com/images/antigone1.jpg

11. The Play for All Time After reading Antigone, we will explore in small groups the following conflicts: • Men and women; • Age and youth; • Society and the individual; • Human justice and divine law; • The obligation we owe to the living and the dead

12. The Play for All Time • Does Antigone’s choice demonstrate a tragic pride and inflexibility or an heroic dedication to virtue? http://www.cps.ci.cambridge.ma.us/crls/writingcenter/antigone.jpg

13. The Play for All Time—Relevance? • When in recent history have individuals been forced to choose between the law and human rights? • When in your own lives have you faced a choice like Antigone? The choice between obedience to authority and remaining true to one’s conscience.

14. The Student as Reporter • We are traveling back in time to the opening night of Antigone. • To better understand the play, we need to find out more about the Athenian people. • Each group will take a different aspect of Greek culture and report back to the class how it influences the drama. • The four cultural small groups will be: family life, politics, the arts, and religion.

15. The Student as Reporter—Small Groups Each group needs to address the following questions: • Where were Greek tragedies staged? • What did the stage look like? • What kinds of props and scenery were used? • When during the year were plays performed? When during the day? • Who performed them? What costumes did they wear? • Who came to the plays? How did they behave? What were they looking for—entertainment, knowledge, or enlightenment? • What kinds of issues were addressed in plays? • What was the playwright’s role in the performance?

16. The Student as Reporter • Once you compile your research and answers, your group will create either a newsletter or an entertainment news program promoting Sophocles’ new drama, Antigone . The projects will be shared with the class. • Have fun and be creative! http://www.blinn.edu/personnel/training/Maximizing_the_Performance_Appraisal_Form_updated_11-12-08/specific-reporter.jpg

17. The Play in its Age—Vocabulary • The Greek Chorus • Ode • Greek Theater • Episode • Anagnorisis • Catharsis • Deus ex Machina • Perpeteia • Stichomythia • Dramatic Irony • Pathos • Tragedy • Tragic Hero • Hamartia • Hubris

18. The Play in Its Age • Compare the setting of the play to those of modern plays and how its limitations affect staging. • Consider what happens in key episodes ; motivations and actions of characters when in a public setting with the chorus always present, hearing and seeing all. • Speculate how dialogue and intensity would change with a private setting verses public. http://www.aug.edu/~cshotwel/GReek.theater2.jpg

19. The Play in Its Age—The Chorus • What are the important functions of the chorus? Cite examples. • Discuss modern plays which incorporate a chorus. • Similarity or differences between modern and ancient choruses? http://hollowaypages.com/images/15.jpg

20. The Play in Its Age—The Audience • Discuss the importance of the audience’s prior knowledge of the events in the plot and its impact on the audience’s experience and appreciation of the performance. • How does foreshadowing and dramatic irony affect the audience? http://www.agiftforlaughter.com/images/text/Theater_Audience_003.jpg

21. The Play in its Age—The Heroes • What is a tragic hero? • Compare and contrast Creon and Antigone; attributes, epiphany, lack of epiphany. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/Lytras_nikiforos_antigone_polynices.jpeg

22. The Student as Performer • Recreate and perform key episodes for Antigone; using gestures, blocking, and acting style you “observed” during opening night. • Discuss how play in enriched by seeing it in performance and recognizing its connections to Greek culture and society as well as the world today.

23. Student as Performer • What would have Antigone meant to the women of Athens? • What did Antigone say about the role of women in society? • What can Antigone say about the relationship between men and women in society today? http://www.moyak.com/papers/greek-woman.jpg