The Theatre of Ancient Greece by Angela Feltner

The Greek God of Drama: Dionysus

Dionysos) was the god of the grape harvest, winemaking and wine, of ritual madness and ecstasy in Greek mythology. His sacred animal was the goat. His festivals were the driving force behind the development of Greek theater.

His procession is made up of wild female followers (maenads) and bearded satyrs.

The origin of theatre

The worship of the god Dionysus began on rural threshing floors or fields where the wheat had been cut down. Each fall as people celebrated the harvest and wine making, they would hold a festival honoring Dionysus, the god of wine and revelry.

This led to a dramatic competition in which playwrights presented a trilogy of plays.

Thespis and the Greek Chorus

Thespis is considered to be the first actor.

He was the first to step forth from the chorus and speak lines by himself.

Even today actors are known as Thespians.

You all are Thespians in this class!

Ancient Greek Academy AwardsTODAY’S DRAMATIC AWARD WINNERS RECEIVE A GOLDEN OSCAR

And the winner is…

SOPHOCLES, HOWEVER, WOULD HAVE RECEIVED A GOAT

What did Greek Drama look like? Greek plays were performed in an outdoor theater, used

masks, and were almost always performed by a chorus and three actors (no matter how many speaking characters there were in the play, only three actors were used; the actors would go back stage after playing one character, switch masks and costumes, and reappear as another character)

Greek plays were performed as part of religious festivals in honor of the god Dionysus, and unless later revived, were performed only once. Plays were funded by the polis, and always presented in competition with other plays, and were voted either the first, second, or third (last) place. Tragedies almost exclusively dealt with stories from the mythic past (there was no "contemporary" tragedy), comedies almost exclusively with contemporary figures and problems.

Greek Masks and Costumes

One of the main reasons for the wearing of Greek masks in theater was the fact that there were female roles but women were forbidden from performing on stage. Therefore, men wore female masks when they played the female roles.

The use of masks was also helpful when an actor had to play more than one role. A simple change of masks was all one needed to switch characters.

The masks were usually made of wood, cloth or leather and were as creative as the people who made them. Many of the masks were decorated with hair, either human or animal, to complete the effect. There was only a small hole drilled where the pupil of the eye would be for the actor to see through.

The masks also served as microphones since their construction produced a megaphone-like voice amplification affect.

The Greek Amphitheatre Orchestra: The orchestra (literally, "dancing space") was

normally circular. It was a level space where the chorus would dance, sing, and interact with the actors who were on the stage near the skene

Theatron: The theatron (literally, "viewing-place") is where the spectators sat. The theatron was usually part of hillside overlooking the orchestra, and often wrapped around a large portion of the orchestra.

Skene: The skene (literally, "tent") was the building directly behind the stage The skene was directly in back of the stage, and was usually decorated as a palace, temple, or other building, depending on the needs of the play. It had at least one set of doors, and actors could make entrances and exits through them. There was also access to the roof of the skene from behind, so that actors playing gods and other characters could appear on the roof, if needed.

Parodos: The parodoi (literally, "passageways") are the paths by which the chorus and some actors (made their entrances and exits. The audience also used them to enter and exit the theater before and after the performance

Deus Ex Machina The Aeorema: It was a crane by

which the gods were appearing on the scene (deus ex machina). It is wrong (but frequently written) that in ancient greek that machine was called "geranos".

Geranos is the translation in modern greek of the word "crane".

Today a Deus ex machina is a dramatic device in which an author introduces a solution to resolve the play that “seems to come from nowhere” (such as a rich aunt or uncle unknown to the characters leaves them the money they needed even though this character had never been mentioned in the play before).

The Periactoi : Two prismatic pillars, put on the left and right side of the scene, turning around their axon, they changed the background of the scene.

The Ekeclema: a wheeled-plattform on which bodies of dead persons were presented (because a murder or a suicide never took  place in front of the spectators).

Sophocles (496-406 B.C.)

Sophocles was the second of the 3 greatest Greek writers of tragedy (with Aeschylus and Euripides).

He is known for writing about Oedipus.

Sophocles increased the number of actors to 3 (thereby reducing the importance of the chorus). Sophocles broke from Aeschylus' thematically-unified trilogies, and invented skenographia (scene painting), to define the background.

Aeschylus ( c. 525/524 BC – c. 455/456 BC)

Aeschylus was the first of the three ancient Greek tragedians whose work has survived, the others being Sophocles and Euripides, and is often described as the father of tragedy.[3]

According to Aristotle, he expanded the number of characters in plays to allow for conflict amongst them; previously, characters interacted only with the chorus.

Only seven of his estimated seventy to ninety plays have survived into modern times.

Euripedes (ca. 480 BC – 406 BC)

Euripides was one of the three great tragedians of classical Athens. Eighteen or nineteen of his plays have survived

Euripides is identified with theatrical innovations that have profoundly influenced drama down to modern times, especially in representing traditional, mythical heroes as ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances.

He also became "the most tragic of poets", focusing on the inner lives and motives of his characters in a way previously unknown.

He was unique too among the writers of ancient Athens for the sympathy he demonstrated towards all victims of society, including women. Such as his heroine Medea.

Whatta Ya Know? Quiz

1. Whose festivals were the driving force behind the development of Greek theater? A. Thespis B. Dionysus C. Zeus D. Homer

2. What award was given to the best Greek playwright? A. an Oscar B. a Tony C. An Emmy D. a goat

3. Worship of the god Dionysus began on a. threshing floors b. mountainsides c. stages

4. Who is considered to first actor? A. Thespis B. Dionysus C. Zeus D. Homer

5. All of the dramatic roles in Greek theatre were performed by a. women b. men c. slaves

Quiz (you may use your notes)6. The following type of plays dealt with the mythic

past _____________. a. tragedy b. comedy c. satyr plays d. odes

7. This type of play dealt with contemporary problems______________.

a. tragedy b. comedy c. satyr plays d. odes

8. Which of the following was NOT a function Greek masks served?

a. to project the voice b. to allow one actor to play multiple roles c. to make people look more attractive d. to allow males to play female roles

Quiz (9-12)

9.This wheeled platform could be rolled out on stage to depict a tableau of a battle scene or dead bodies since violence was never shown on stage. a.Deus ex Machina b. Ekeclema c. Skene d. Periactoi

10. Who wrote Oedipus?a.Sophocles b. Aescylus c. Euripedes d. Plato11. Who is considered the “Father of Tragedy?a. a.Sophocles b. Aescylus c. Euripedes d. Plato12. Who focused on the Inner lives and motives of his

characters and wrote Medea ?a.Sophocles b. Aescylus c. Euripedes d. Plato