Transcript Introduction to Greek Theatre & Antigone

Introduction to
Greek Theatre & Antigone
Ms. Keener
English II
Drama
• A story that is written and meant to be acted out in front of
an audience
• “Theater” comes from the Greek word “theatron,” or “seeing
place,” where Greek audiences say to watch drama
Origins of Greek Drama
• Combination of two genres:
– Myth: stories that illustrate and explain a society
– Epic: long, narrative poem telling deeds of a hero
• Began as songs and dances performed at
religious ceremonies in honor of the god Dionysis,
the god of wine and procreation
• Sophocles: greatest ancient Greek playwright
– Plays dealt with morality
Comedy & Tragedy
• Comedy: isn’t necessarily “funny”
– Deals with average or below average people
– During the play, they enjoy rise in status from
bad circumstances to good
– Rise in status is due to Fortune, or The Fates
– Characters speak in everyday language
• Tragedy: isn’t necessarily “tragic”
– Deals with higher than average people: kings,
heroes, gods
– During the play, the suffer a fall from good
fortune
– Fall is due to Fate
– Characters speak in elevated language
the Chorus
isn’t just repeated over & over again in a song
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Made up of 15 elder actors in a drama
Think of the chorus as another actor
The Choragos is the leader of the chorus
During the drama, the chorus sings odes to:
– Separate one scene from the next
– Give background information
– Offer reflections on events in the drama
• Strophe: during the ode, the chorus moves
from right to left
• Antistrophe: during the ode, the chorus
moves from left to right
Aristotle’s Rules for Tragedy
a few things all good Tragedies should have
• Hamartia: the tragic flaw that leads to the
hero’s downfall
• Hubris: arrogance before the gods
• Reversal: the opposite of what the hero
intends to happens, happens
• Recognition: The main character recognizes
his tragic flaw and why he must die, just as
he is about to do so
Greek drama terms to know
• Prologue: introductory scene, revealing
background information
• Parados: opening song in which the chorus
explains the central conflict
• Exodus: the final scene; the “exit”