intro to tragedy
Post on 18-Nov-2014
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The Greek Tragic Theater
Theater of Dionysos today (ruins c. 86BCE), Lycurgos
Artist’s Rendition of the Theater of Dionysos, 4th century BCE. Est. capacity: 17,000
When and Why
• C. 5th century BCE, at festivals throughout the year
• Main one in Athens: festival in honor of Dionysos
• Used to demonstrate Athens’ political and military power– Presentation of tribute
Pompeii
Who: Playwright
• Three playwrights– Sophocles (24)
– Aeschylus (13)
– Euripides (5)
• Wrote trilogies of three tragic plays and one satyr play– Only surviving trilogy:
Oresteia
What
• Stories from the mythology of Greece– Agammemnon
– Ajax
– Medea
– Oedipus the King
– The Bacchae
Who: The Actors
• Actors– No more than three
actors• Protagonist,
deuteragonist, tritagonist
– Male
– Masks / Costumes
Who: The Chorus
• 12-15 young men• Amateurs• Recruited, trained, and
paid for by a wealthy citizen named as that year’s choregos (producer)
• Sang and danced
Key physical components of the theater
• Orchestra• skene• mechane• ekkyklema
Five “W”s of Greek Tragedy
• Who– Professional actors (2-3)
– Amateur chorus (12-15)
– Playwright
• What– stories from mythology
• Where– Outdoor theaters in
Athens and other places
• When– C. 5th century BCE, at
festivals throughout the year
• Why– Both a religious festival
and a display of cultural and political power
– Not “entertainment”, but certainly entertaining
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