Greek DramaGreek Drama

The Theatre or Apollo at DelphiThe Theatre or Apollo at Delphi

A.A. BackgroundBackground

1.1. Spring time religious celebrations Spring time religious celebrations honoring/thanking honoring/thanking

Dionysus (god of Dionysus (god of

wine and fertility—wine and fertility—

check out story check out story

of Zeus and Semele)of Zeus and Semele)

BackgroundBackground

2.2. Original festivals were religious involving Original festivals were religious involving wine and sexwine and sex

3.3. Satyrs—Greeks dressed up Satyrs—Greeks dressed up

with goat legs and hooveswith goat legs and hooves

(prototype of the devil) (prototype of the devil)

--tragedy means “goat song”--tragedy means “goat song”

--”satire” comes from --”satire” comes from

satyr satyr

BackgroundBackground

3.3. Greek chorus—sang in celebrationGreek chorus—sang in celebration

4.4. ThespisThespis

5.5. Next stepsNext steps

——Aeschylus (2 actors)Aeschylus (2 actors)

--Sophocles (3 actors)--Sophocles (3 actors)

--Euripides (psych.--Euripides (psych.

depth)depth)

B. Characteristics of Greek B. Characteristics of Greek TheatreTheatre

1. layout—1. layout—

a.a.

b.b.

c.c.

d.d.

C. Major Aspects of Clasical C. Major Aspects of Clasical TragedyTragedy

1.1. Tragic heroTragic heroa. Person of high position or good fortune a. Person of high position or good fortune

who falls to very low fortunewho falls to very low fortune

b. Not excessively good or evil (allows pityb. Not excessively good or evil (allows pity

and fear in audience)and fear in audience)

c. Reversal must come not through moral failure but throughc. Reversal must come not through moral failure but through

a hamartia (mistake, misjudgement, “missed the a hamartia (mistake, misjudgement, “missed the mark”)mark”)

2. Tragic flaw2. Tragic flaw

3. Unities of time and place3. Unities of time and place

Aspects of Classical Greek Aspects of Classical Greek TragedyTragedy

3. 3. Unities of time and placeUnities of time and place

B. CharacterisiticsB. Characterisitics

4.4. HamartiaHamartia

5.5. HubrisHubris

6.6. CatharsisCatharsis

Aspects of Greek DramaAspects of Greek Drama

Three Important Aspects of the Plot (from Three Important Aspects of the Plot (from our old friend, Aristotle)our old friend, Aristotle)11. Peripeteia – turning point. Peripeteia – turning point

2. Anagnorisis – revelation (realizing a 2. Anagnorisis – revelation (realizing a relative relative who who was not known as a relative)was not known as a relative)

-- Best plot (according to A.) is when the peripeteia -- Best plot (according to A.) is when the peripeteia and the anagnorisis happen at the same time) and the anagnorisis happen at the same time)

3. pathos – pain / suffering (physical and spritual)3. pathos – pain / suffering (physical and spritual)