Download Background to Greek Drama Tragedy

Background to Greek
Drama
Tragedy
• Comes from the Greek word tragoidia, based
on tragos, “goat,” and “aeidein, “to sing.”
• Literally-- “goat song”
• At all dramatic festivals, the prize for the best
chorus was a goat.
Out of Ritual
• Drama grew out of religious rituals honoring Dionysos,
the god of wine and fertility.
• According to myth, Dionysos suffered, died, and was
resurrected.
• Early tragedies imitate this cycle of despair followed
by the ecstasy of enlightenment.
• One actor took several roles and conversed with the
chorus between performances.
• Taught a moral lesson.
Thespis
• The celebrations developed into an annual festival held
in Athens.
• Worshipers began competing for prizes.
*Thespis transformed these
hymns into songs that still
honored Dionysos, but also told the
story of a famous hero.
* Thespis further changed the
format
format by having one chorus
memmber
member step away from the
others to play the part of a hero
or a god.
Sophocles
• Born in Athens in 497 B.C., Sophocles was the
most well-known of Greek dramatists.
• Known for deeper development of characters
in his plays.
• Sophocles used his plays to highlight political
and social injustices.
• Most famous works—Theban plays, or The
Oedipus Cycle.
Social and Political Climate of
Athens, 5th century B.C.
• Athenian government was an exclusive
democracy.
• Participation limited—women, slaves, and
other “non-citizens” were excluded.
• Young women were considered wild and
unpredictable in Athenian society.
• Men would not have sympathized with a
female character who defied authority.
• The ancient Greeks were polytheistic.
• Strong belief in Fate as a divine force.
• Used oracles, omens, dreams, and soothsayers
to understand the will of the gods.
• Important religious duty—
burial of dead relatives.
• Unburied soul could not cross river
Styx into Hades.
Stage Conventions of Greek
Theater
• All male actors
• Use of “three unities” :
• Unity of time—all action took place within 24
hours
• Unity of place—action limited to one setting
• Unity of subject—focus on one main character
(no sub-plots)
Stage Conventions of Greek
Theater
• Use of chorus:
• Fifteen to twenty men who represented
citizens
• Always on stage
• Danced and sang
• Leader of chorus, Choragos, carried on
dialogue with the main characters or rest of
chorus.
The Oedipus Myth
• King Laios and Queen Jocasta of Thebes learn
from an oracle that their baby son would
eventually kill his father and marry his mother.
• Give their baby to a shepherd with orders to
leave the infant to die.
• Shepherd pities the child.
• Instead of abandoning the child, he gives him
to the childless king and queen of Corinth.
The Oedipus Myth
• As a young man, Oedipus learns of the
prophecy.
• He runs away from Corinth in order to prevent
the death of his supposed father.
• Arrogant old man tries to run him over with a
chariot.
• Because honor was at stake, the two men
fought, and Oedipus killed the stranger.
The Oedipus Myth
• At the outskirts of Thebes, Oedipus
encounters the Sphinx.
• The Sphinx had been menacing Thebes by
ambushing travelers and challenging them to
a riddle.
• If they could answer correctly, they could
proceed. Fail, and the Sphinx devoured them.
The Riddle
• What creature goes on four legs in the
morning, two legs in the afternoon, and three
legs in the evening?
The Oedipus Myth
• Oedipus answers correctly, and enters Thebes
as a hero.
• Laios, their king, had recently been killed.
• The people offer the throne and their
widowed queen, Jocasta, to Oedipus.
• They marry and have four children:
Polyneices, Eteocles, Antigone, and Ismene.
The Oedipus Myth
• A plague strikes Thebes.
• An oracle warns that the plague won’t end
until the murderer of King Laios is found.
• Oedipus swears that he will find the killer.
• The blind prophet Teiresias tells Oedipus the
truth.
The Oedipus Myth
• After learning the truth, Jocasta kills herself.
• Oedipus gouges out his eyes.
• Oedipus’ sons, Eteocles and Polyneices fight
over the vacant throne and kill each other.
• Antigone begins.