Download background to antigone

BACKGROUND TO ANTIGONE
ANCIENT GREECE
• Greece was not one unified country, but was
made up of a number of independent citystates, including Athens, Sparta, Corinth and
Thebes.
Greek Theatre
Greek Theatre
•
•
•
•
Orchestra: The orchestra (Orchesina--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. The earliest orchestras were simply made of hard earth, but in the Classical period some
orchestras began to be paved with marble and other materials. In the center of the orchestra there
was often a thymele, or altar. The orchestra of the theater of Dionysus in Athens was about 60 feet
in diameter.
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 (see the diagram above). Spectators in the fifth century BC probably sat on cushions or
boards, but by the fourth century the theatron of many Greek theaters had marble seats.
Skene: The skene (scene--literally, "tent") was the building directly behind the stage. During the 5th
century, the stage of the theater of Dionysus in Athens was probably raised only two or three steps
above the level of the orchestra, and was perhaps 25 feet wide and 10 feet deep. 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 (such as the Watchman at the beginning of Aeschylus'
Agamemnon) could appear on the roof, if needed.
Parodos: The parodoi (literally, "passageways") are the paths by which the chorus and some actors
(such as those representing messengers or people returning from abroad) made their entrances
and exits. The audience also used them to enter and exit the theater before and after the
performance.
•
GREEK DRAMA
As Greek tragedy sprang from the Choral hymns to Dionysus and
was always associated with the cult of that deity, the choric or lyric
part always remained an essential and prominent factor in its
composition.
• The Chorus the number of which in the time of Sophocles was fixed
at fifteen, consisted of persons male or female, who were
appropriate accompaniments to the action of the drama.
• They took no part in the action and in no way affected it
• Their function was partly to give lyric expression to the emotions
excited or suggested by what occurred in the course of the action,
and to draw either by way of commentary or independently the
moral or political lessons to be derived from it.
• Greek tragedies were always acted at the two
great Dionysian Festivals, and particularly at
the Greater Dionysia in the Spring of the year,
at the public expense.
• They were produced in competition, and a
poet had to compete with no less than four
plays, three tragedies, and a farce known as a
Satyric Play.
• In these tragedies there were no acts and scenes
• the acts or rather the various stages in the evolution of
the plot were indicated by the Choral songs( Stasima)
• the part of the play which preceded the entrance of
the Chorus was called the Prologos.
• The first song of the Chorus, sung as they entered from
the sides of the Orchestra and took their stand round
the altar in the centre, known as the thymele, was
called the Parodos; that portion of the dialogue which
intervened between the Parodos and the next whole
Chorus was called the first Epeisodion
• This was succeeded by the first Stasimon, so named because sung
by the Chorus while standing round the thymele.
• Epeisodia and Stasima thus succeeded each other till the
concluding portion of the play began, called the Exodus because at
its close the Chorus and the actors left the stage.
• Sometimes the Chorus held musical dialogue with one of the chief
actors, and these dialogues had the name of Kommoi, an excellent
illustration of which we find in this play, the Chorus divided itself in
alternate musical discourse.
• As a rule there was no change of scene, the catastrophe not taking
place on the stage but being related by a messenger.
TRAGEDY
• According to Aristotle, a tragedy must have six parts: plot,
character, diction, thought, spectacle, and song.
• Most important is the plot, the structure of the incidents.
• Tragedy is not an imitation of men's actions and life. It is men's
actions defeated by unexpected and undesired bad fortune which
he undergoes due to some moral defect, flaw or a mistake of some
kind. The reversal is the inevitable but unforeseen result of some
action taken by the hero.
Aristotle’s Interpretation of Tragedy
• Tragedy depicts the downfall of a noble hero
or heroine, usually through some combination
of hubris, fate, and the will of the gods.
• The tragic hero's powerful wish to achieve
some goal inevitably encounters limits, usually
those of human frailty (flaws in reason, hubris,
society), the gods, or nature.
WOMEN IN GREECE
• Girls learned to read in school or at home
• learned important household skills-spinning,
weaving, sewing, cooking and other household
jobs
• were taught simple facts on mythology, religion
and occasionally musical instruments
• Spent most of their time in her household with
other women- only leaving the house to perform
religious duties
MARRIAGE
• Girls got married in their teens, often to a man in his
30's
• Her father would chose her husband- for most
Athenians, marriage was basically living together
• Marriage may have been arranged from a very early
age, if the daughter came from a wealthy family
• The ancient Greek girl did not know or meet her
husband until the dowry(the girl's portion of the
father's estate) and betrothal had been agreed to
• It was important that the ancient girls were virgins
RIGHTS OF WOMEN
• Once a woman was married, her husband controlled all property.
• Any property that she might have inherited would go directly to her
husband.
• She had no rights to wander about the town, without a just cause.
• Greek women had virtually no political rights of any kind and were
controlled by men at all stages of their lives.
• Since men spent most of their time away from their houses,
women dominated Greek home life.
• The wife was in charge of raising the children and making the
families clothes. She supervised the daily running of the household.
In a totally slave based economy plentiful numbers of female slaves
were available to cook, clean and carry water from the fountain.
Only in the poorest homes was the wife expected to do these
duties by herself.
SOPHOCLES
• Sophocles wrote Antigone in 441BC - the same
year in which he was elected general - and
probably wrote Oedipus the King in about 425
BC
THE STORY OF OEDIPUS
• First, Oedipus was thrown out of Thebes - but his daughter Antigone went
with him to help and guide him. (This is the subject of Sophocles' third
play - Oedipus at Colonus )
• Oedipus was forced to keep on travelling, because nowhere wanted to be
polluted by having his body buried in their soil. There is another oracle Oedipus believes he must die at a place called Colonus - in Athenian
territory. The locals want to get rid of him, but he refuses to budge, and
appeals to the king of Athens, Theseus. Theseus promises to help him and
allow his body to be buried at Colonus - where his spirit will protect
Athens.
• At this point Oedipus' other daughter - Ismene - arrives with terrible news.
Oedipus' two sons, Eteocles and Polynices have quarrelled over who is to
rule Thebes, and Polynices has left home - to find help and support for his
claim to the throne. He soon arrives, and wants Oedipus' blessing - but
Oedipus is appalled at their behaviour and curses them both - a curse that
they should kill each other. There is a mighty thunderstorm, and Oedipus'
death follows quickly.
The Story of Oedipus
• Oedipus' daughters returned to Thebes, where Eteocles now ruled
alone. Polynices eventually reached Argos, where he was taken pity
on by the king, Adrastus. Adrastus not only gave him his daughter in
marriage, but also promised to restore him to the throne of Thebes.
Seven armies led by seven heroes (including Adrastus and
Polynices) attacked the seven gates of Thebes. Thebes under
Eteocles and his uncle Creon resist - there is stalemate. To settle the
quarrel, it is decided that seven Argive champions should face
seven Theban champions in single combat at each of the seven
gates. The Thebans are successful - but tragedy spoils the victory.
Only one Theban champion died - and that was Eteocles who had
faced his brother Polynices. Each had killed the other in fulfilment
of their father's curse.
• Creon is now undisputed king of Thebes ... and this is where the
play Antigone begins.
OEDIPUS THE PLAY
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NydKPClh
YgM
Intro to the Play
• The Antigone was probably brought out at the
Great Dionysia in the Spring of B.C. 441
• The play takes up the story of the Seven Against
Thebes, by Aeschylus, but with some changes in
the situation. Two brothers, Eteocles and
Polynices, have fallen, as will be remembered, at
one of the gates of Thebes. King Creon allows
Eteocles to be buried at once, that he might
receive due honor among the shades; but he
orders a herald to forbid any funeral rites or
burial to the corpse of Polynices.