CLASSICALCLASSICALTHEATERTHEATER

Background Background Information for Information for

“Antigone”“Antigone”

PURPOSE OF CLASSICAL PURPOSE OF CLASSICAL DRAMADRAMA

Dramas presented by the state at annual Dramas presented by the state at annual religious festivals. religious festivals.

Plays were supposed to be presented for Plays were supposed to be presented for the purpose of ethical and moral the purpose of ethical and moral improvement of the spectators and to improvement of the spectators and to ensure the spiritual survival of the ensure the spiritual survival of the community. community.

Winners of prizes were selected by ten Winners of prizes were selected by ten citizens chosen by lots for the duty.citizens chosen by lots for the duty.

See theater diagramSee theater diagram

Actors were all male. They wore masks.Actors were all male. They wore masks.

Scenes of the drama were always outdoors; indoor Scenes of the drama were always outdoors; indoor actions were reported by messengers.actions were reported by messengers.

There was no violence on stageThere was no violence on stage

There was “unity” in plot -- no subplots or irrelevancies.There was “unity” in plot -- no subplots or irrelevancies.

The action always took place in one day.The action always took place in one day.

There were no curtains or intermissions.There were no curtains or intermissions.

MECHANICS OF GREEK MECHANICS OF GREEK DRAMADRAMA

CHORUS IN GREEK DRAMACHORUS IN GREEK DRAMA The function of the chorus was to The function of the chorus was to

:: Represent the local townspeopleRepresent the local townspeople set the mood of the dramaset the mood of the drama interpret events/relieve the tensioninterpret events/relieve the tension generalize meaning of the actiongeneralize meaning of the action converse with and give advice to the converse with and give advice to the

actorsactors give background informationgive background information emphasize the beauty of poetry and emphasize the beauty of poetry and

dancingdancing leader acted as spokesman for the leader acted as spokesman for the

groupgroup

SUBJECT OF PLAYS SUBJECT OF PLAYS

The subject was almost The subject was almost exclusively taken from well-exclusively taken from well-known myths.known myths.

The plays explored the The plays explored the

mysteries of life and the role mysteries of life and the role of the gods in human affairs. of the gods in human affairs.

The main purpose was ethical The main purpose was ethical and religious instruction.and religious instruction.

STYLE IN PLAYS STYLE IN PLAYS There are long, wordy There are long, wordy

speeches (sometimes speeches (sometimes about current events or about current events or contemporary people).contemporary people).

Speeches given by a Speeches given by a character who is alone character who is alone onstage, revealing his onstage, revealing his or her thoughts, are or her thoughts, are called called soliloquy.soliloquy.

TRAGEDIES TRAGEDIES

Out of great tragedy Out of great tragedy comes wisdom. comes wisdom.

Tragedy- tells the Tragedy- tells the story of the fall of a story of the fall of a person of high status person of high status and celebrates the and celebrates the courage and dignity courage and dignity the hero displays in the hero displays in the face of inevitable the face of inevitable doomdoom

Tragic hero- hero who Tragic hero- hero who is destined to failis destined to fail

Tragic flaw- personal Tragic flaw- personal weakness that brings weakness that brings about failure of tragic about failure of tragic herohero

CONCEPT OF TRAGIC HERO CONCEPT OF TRAGIC HERO AND TRAGEDY (from AND TRAGEDY (from

Aristotle)Aristotle) Tragedy arouses the emotions of pity, fear, wonder Tragedy arouses the emotions of pity, fear, wonder and awe.and awe.

A tragic hero must be a man or woman capable of A tragic hero must be a man or woman capable of great suffering.great suffering.

Tragedy explores the question of the ways of God to Tragedy explores the question of the ways of God to man.man.

Tragedy purifies the emotions (catharsis)Tragedy purifies the emotions (catharsis)

Tragedy shows how man is brought to disaster by a Tragedy shows how man is brought to disaster by a singlesingle flaw in flaw in his ownhis own character. character.

IronyIrony

Irony- the difference Irony- the difference between appearance between appearance and situationand situation

Dramatic Irony- when Dramatic Irony- when something is known something is known by the by the reader/audience which reader/audience which is not known by the is not known by the characterscharacters

Verbal Irony- when a Verbal Irony- when a statement is made statement is made which implies its which implies its oppositeopposite

Irony of situation- when Irony of situation- when an event occurs that an event occurs that violates the violates the expectations of expectations of characters, the characters, the readers, and the readers, and the audience.audience.

Foil- a character whose Foil- a character whose attributes, or attributes, or characteristics, characteristics, contrast with, and contrast with, and therefore throw into therefore throw into relief, the attributes of relief, the attributes of another character. In another character. In other words, this other words, this character is the polar character is the polar opposite of the other opposite of the other character and these character and these

differences highlight the differences highlight the other characters other characters qualities, drawing qualities, drawing attention to them.attention to them.

Analogy- a comparison Analogy- a comparison of two things that are of two things that are alike in some respects.alike in some respects.

Mood- also known as Mood- also known as atmosphere-- the atmosphere-- the emotion created in the emotion created in the reader by the literary reader by the literary workwork

Allusion- a reference an Allusion- a reference an author makes to another author makes to another workwork

Paean- an ode or Paean- an ode or hymn appealing to the hymn appealing to the gods for assistancegods for assistance

Antigone Antigone andand Greek Theatre Greek Theatre TermsTerms

exodusexodus -- final action of the play -- final action of the play

Mood/atmosphereMood/atmosphere-- emotion created in the reader by part -- emotion created in the reader by part or all or all

DionysusDionysus -- God of drama -- God of drama

skeneskene -- wooden building with three doors through which -- wooden building with three doors through which actors made their entrances and exitsactors made their entrances and exits

theatrontheatron or or orchestra orchestra -- dancing place of the chorus-- dancing place of the chorus

paradosparados -- chorus marching in from the left or right -- chorus marching in from the left or right

thymelethymele -- altar to Dionysus on which sacrifices were made, -- altar to Dionysus on which sacrifices were made, and which was sometimes used as a stage propand which was sometimes used as a stage prop

prologueprologue -- opening scene (introduction) -- opening scene (introduction)

episodeepisode -- act or scene -- act or scene

stasimonstasimon -- choral ode (end of each episode) -- choral ode (end of each episode)

choruschorus -- clarifies experiences and feelings of the -- clarifies experiences and feelings of the characters and expresses conventional attitude characters and expresses conventional attitude toward development in the story; also sets the toward development in the story; also sets the moodmood

prosceniumproscenium -- level area in front of the skene on -- level area in front of the skene on which most of the plays action took placewhich most of the plays action took place

choral odechoral ode -- lyric sung by the chorus which -- lyric sung by the chorus which develops the importance of the actiondevelops the importance of the action

strophestrophe -- a turning, right to left, by chorus -- a turning, right to left, by chorus

antistropheantistrophe -- a turning, left to right, by -- a turning, left to right, by choruschorus

choragaschoragas -- leader of the chorus -- leader of the chorus

epodeepode -- the part of a lyric ode following -- the part of a lyric ode following the strophe and antistrophethe strophe and antistrophe

hubrishubris -- Greek word for excessive pride or -- Greek word for excessive pride or arrogancearrogance

humartiahumartia -- Greek word for error in -- Greek word for error in judgment, especially resulting from a defect judgment, especially resulting from a defect in the character of a tragic hero; the tragic in the character of a tragic hero; the tragic flawflaw

sphinxsphinx -- a female monster, usually -- a female monster, usually represented as having the head and breast represented as having the head and breast of a woman, the body of a lion, and the of a woman, the body of a lion, and the wings of an eaglewings of an eagle

unitiesunities -- time, place, action; a play should -- time, place, action; a play should have no subplot, should not cover more have no subplot, should not cover more than 24 hours and should not have more than 24 hours and should not have more than one localethan one locale

ConclusionConclusion

Thank YouThank You

Have a nice dayHave a nice day