Download Agamemnon and Greek Theatre Study Guide

Agamemnon and Greek Theatre Study Guide
Write the character descriptions of the following people, especially in relation to the play
Agamemnon.
Agamemnon
Clytemnestra
Aegisthus
Cassandra
Aesclepius
Thyestes
Atreus
Ajax the Lesser
Menelaus
Apollo
Helen
Paris
Odysseus
Zeus
xenia (definition)
Ares
Furies
Orestes
Iphigeneia
Atemis
Answer the following questions.
1. Who wrote Agamemnon?
2. Aeschylus wrote how many plays total?
3. Of the many plays that Aeschylus wrote, how many actually survived?
4. What did Pythagorus do?
5. What did Hippocrates do?
6. Why was theatre presented in ancient Greece?
7. What year was democracy instituted in Greece?
8. What year was tragedy added to the City Dionysia?
9. Who was Arion and what did he do?
10. Who was Thespis and what did he do?
11. Where did Aristotle suggest that theatre came from?
12. Explain the example of Ook and Og.
13. Explain the state of government and business during the festival.
14. Why was the City Dionysia held?
15. How many days approximately was the festival held?
16. List what events took place for how many days during the festival.
17. Who was responsible for keeping order during the festival and being the judge and jury of
anyone who got in trouble during the festival?
18. Give an example of the present day equivalent to the awards given to the actors and authors
during the festival.
19. What was the archon and choregus responsible for the festival? What did the representative
body of Athenians do?
20. What entity was responsible for making theatre space available for rehearsals as well as the
actors and authors’ salary, who participated in the festival?
21. Explain step by step the theory that theatre originated from Greek religious festivals.
22. Greek plays were based on what that was already familiar to the Greeks?
23. How many plays did Sophocles write and how many have survived? How many times did he
win the award for best playwright?
24. What is the name of the book that Aristotle wrote analyzing tragedy and drama?
25. What are the six elements of tragedy or drama in order? Give a short definition for each.
26. Aristotle said that tragedy should always make the audience have a what? The protagonist
should always have what?
27. What was the role of the chorus?
28. Draw a Greek theatre and label its parts.
29. Did violence ever occur onstage in Greek drama? Why or why not?
30. Explain the acting techniques used in ancient Greece.
31. Explain Greek costumes and masks.
32. How was the chorus section performed in ancient Greece?
33. Where is the play Agamemnon set? What other location is mentioned that is vitally important
to understanding this drama, and how is it important?
34. What is the omen which Calchas interprets as angering Artemis? Why is Artemis disturbed?
35. How did Agamemnon’s daughter, Iphigeneia, attempt to sway her father and the other Greeks
away from sacrificing her? What was the result of her attempts?
36. How did Clytemnestra get the news of Troy’s downfall overnight?
37. What does Clytemnestra say about the Greeks at Troy in regard to the gods and temples of
Troy? Why is her dread ironic?
38. Why does the chorus invoke “Zeus god of guests?” What does that have to do with justice and
Paris?
39. What attitude does the chorus have towards Helen?
40. Why is the chorus skeptical about the joy over the fire signal’s message? What does this tell us
about their attitude about women?
41. What does the herald say about the altars and gods of Troy and how does this hearken back to
Clytemnestra’s words?
42. What does Clytemnestra say about her own loyalty to Agamemnon? How much is true?
43. Why does the herald have no news of Menelaus? When and where had he last seen him?
44. Why does the chorus continually mention “dishonor to the hospitable hearth” and “Zeus god of
guests?”
45. How does Clytemnestra explain to Agamemnon the absence of their son, Orestes?
46. Why is Agamemnon reluctant to step on the carpet?
47. What does Cassandra see wailing around the palace, eating their own flesh? Who are they and
why are they haunting the palace?
48. What is the myth about Cassandra and Apollo? What was her punishment and why was she
punished?
49. What does chorus debate about after they hear Agamemnon’s cries? What does this debate
lead them to do?
50. How does Clytemnestra justify her murdering Agamemnon? How does Aegisthus justify the
murder of Agamemnon?