Download Greek Theater Guided Notes

Name:____________________________________________Date:_______________Period:__________
Greek Theater Guided Notes
The origins of drama:
*The earliest origins of drama are ancient ________________, called ____________________.
These were sing in honor of the god Dionysus. These hymns were later adapted for
__________________processions in which participants would dress up on costumes and masks.
Word Origin:
*The modern word “________________” comes from the Greek word dran meaning
“_____________________”.
Definition:
*__________________________: a poem, chant, or hymn of ancient Greece sung by revelers at
the festival in honor of the god ______________________.
Greek Theater:
*Greek _________________________and _________________________were always
performed in _________________________theaters.
*Early Greek theaters were probably little mores than open areas in city
_____________________or next to ______________________where the audience, standing or
sitting, could watch and listen to the chorus singing about the exploits of a god or hero.
*From the late ______________century BC to the 4th and 3rd centuries BC there was a gradual
evolution towards more elaborate theater structures, but the basic layout of the Greek theater
remained the same.
Parts of a Greek Theater:
*______________________: (literally, “dancing space”) A circular and level space where the
chorus would dance, sing, and interact with the actors who were on the stage near the skene.
*______________________: (literally, “viewing place”) this is where the spectators sat. The
theatron was usually part of hillside overlooking the orchestra.
*______________________: (literally, “tent”) 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.
*______________________: (literally, “passageways”) 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.
Theater of Dionysus:
*The first plays were performed in the Theatre of ________________________, built in the
shadow of the _______________________in Athens at the beginning of the 5th century.
*These theatres proved to be so __________________________they soon spread all over
Greece.
Word Origin:
*The modern word “________________”comes from the Greek word theatron meaning “seeing
place”.
Why Dionysus?
*In Greek Mythology Dionysus was the son of _____________________. He is the only god
born of one god and one ______________parent.
*He was the god of _________________, fertility, and ________________________.
*He was raised by _________________, killed, ,dismembered, and resurrected (was actually
reborn.)
*Other gods had temples, the cult of Dionysus met in the _______________.
*It was believed that he could liberate and __________________man. It was also believed that
he could endow man with divine ______________________. Dionysus, thus, cam to be
considered a patron of the arts.
The “City Dionysia”:
*In the sixth century BC, the Athenian ruler, ___________________________, established the
‘City Dionysia’, a festival of entertainment held in honor of the god Dionysus.
*This festival featured ______________________________in music, singing, dance, and
____________________.
*The most remarkable of all the winners was said to be a wandering ________________named
Thespis.
Word Origin:
*Does the name ___________________remind you of anything? Can you guess which modern
word goes back to this early actor’s name?
*________________________: Of or relating to drama; of or relating to Thespis.
Four Qualities of Greek Drama:
*1. Performed for _________________________occasions (festivals). Athens had four festivals
worshipping Dionysus.
*2. _________________________-prizes were awarded. Actors and playwrights competed.
*3._________________________-There was singing; the chorus was made up of men (from 3 to
50). The chorus sang, moved, and danced. They moved the ____________________along.
*4. The stories were based on __________________or history.
Essential pieces of Greek drama:
*the ____________________
*the____________________
*the____________________
The Play: Types of Greek Drama
*_____________________
*____________________
*____________________________
*Comedy and Tragedy were the most popular types of plays in ancient Greece. Hence, the
modern popularity of the comedy and tragedy ______________to symbolize theater.
Comedy:
*not admitted to Dionysus festival till ________-__________BC late
*The first comedies were mainly _____________________and mocked men in power for their
vanity and foolishness.
*The first master of comedy was the playwright __________________________.
*exaggerated, __________________, sensual pleasures
*Structure of comedy:
*______________________-leading character conceives a “happy idea”
*______________________-entrance of the chorus
*______________________-dramatized debate between proponent and opponent of
the “happy idea”.
*______________________-chorus addresses audience on poet’s view on topic
*______________________-“happy idea” is put to practical application
The Greek tragedy:
*late point of ______________________
*______________________ and death offstage
*frequent use of __________________________to relate information
*usually continuous time of _______________________
*usually ________________place
*stories based on _________________ or history, but varied interpretations of events
*focus is on __________________________and _________________attributes of characters,
rather than physical and sociological.
*Tragedy dealt with ____________, _________________, pride, the abuse of power, and the
________________ relationships between men and gods.
*Typically the main _________________of a tragedy commits some terrible crime without
realizing how foolish and arrogant he has been. Then, as he slowly realizes his error, the world
crumbles around him.
*The three great playwrights of tragedy were Aeschylus, ________________________, and
Euripides.
*Structure of Greek Tragedy:
*______________________-which described the situation and set the scene
*______________________-an ode sung by the chorus as it made its entrance
*Five _______________________scenes-each followed by a Komos, an enchange of
laments by the chorus and the protagonist
*__________________________-the climax and conclusion
*Tragedies were often presented in ____________________________. Interspersed
between three plays in the trilogy were ______________________plays, in which satyrs
(men dressed as half-goats) made fun of the characters in the surrounding tragedies.
*Tragic flaw:
*a flaw or ____________________that brings about the downfall of the hero of a
tragedy
*the Greek term “_____________________________”, typically translated as “tragic
flaw”, actually is closer in meaning to a “mistake” or and “error”, “failing” rather in an
innate flaw.
*the character’s flaw must result from something that is also a central part of their
______________, which goes somewhat arwry, usually due to a lack of knowledge.
Satyr Plays:
*These were ______________plays performed between the acts of tragedies. They made fun of
the plight of the tragedy’s characters.
*The ___________________were mythical half-human, half-goat servants of Dionysus.
Word Origin:
*Does the term ___________________remind you of any modern day term?
*The Satyr and the Satyr plays spawned the modern word ____________________________.
The Actors:
*All of the actors and playwrights were ___________________. Women were not allowed to
participate.
*The actors played __________________roles, so a mask was used to show the change in
character or mood.
*____________________and body movements were controlled and stately.
*if playing ____________________role-need for female appearance-wore the
________________________before the chest and the _______________________before the
belly.
The Chorus:
*an __________________: gives advice, asks, takes part
*establishes _______________________framework, sets up standard by which action will be
judged
*ideal ___________________-reacts as playwright hopes audience would
*sets ____________and heightens dramatic effects
*adds __________________________, spectacle, song, and dance
*rhythmical _________________-pauses/paces the action so that the audience can reflect.
Sophocles (Please write down at least five facts about Sophocles)
*_______________________________________________________________________
*_______________________________________________________________________
*_______________________________________________________________________
*_______________________________________________________________________
*_______________________________________________________________________