Greek Drama - Out of Ritual

Greek drama was rooted in religion not entertainment

Greek drama grew out of religious rituals honoring Dionysos God of wine and fertility

Modern public rituals would be the Olympic games, singing the national anthem before

sports events graduation ceremonies, weddings, etc

Dionysian celebrations

Worshipers would dance around the altar

Worshipers would sing hymns to the wild passionate accompaniment of the flute

During 6th century BC festivals became annual events

Dionysian Celebrations Became annual festivals held in Athens

Participants began competing for prize – a bull or a goat

Tradition has it that Thespis transformed the hymns into songs that honored Dionysius but also told stories of a hero or another god

Thespis Transformed hymns into songs that

honored Dionysos and told story of a famous

hero or another god.

Added : a member of the chorus would step out from the others and play the part of the hero or god

Actor wore a mask and talked with the chorus

Masks Actors spoke their lines from behind

giant masks Masks had exaggerated mouthpieces

that amplified actor’s voice By switching masks, actors could play

several roles

Birth of drama Aeschylus added a second individual

actor to the performance

Conflict created

Dionysia – the four day celebration Businesses closed, Priosoners were released on bail 14,000 or more people gathered to

watch competition for best tragedy or comedy

Parade before Festival Competing playwrights, choruses and

actors would march in a procession through Athens

A herald would announce the titles of the competing plays

Masked dancers would parade through the streets carrying a statue of Dionysos

Daily agenda

Opening day traditional choral singing Next three days playwrights presented

their works Morning: one would present three

tragedies and a satyr Afternoon – another playwright would

present a comedy.

Tragedy, Tragedy – Had heroic characters and unhappy

endings Serious treatment of religious and

mythic questions

Satyr Comic and even lewd treatment of the

same themes as tragedy

Comedies Comic Had ordinary people as characters Happy ending

The Theater of Dionysus Looked like a semicircular football

stadium Seats carved out of stone on a hillside Performance area at bottom

Orchestra area – where chorus sang Platform area – where actors spoke from

behind huge masks

Actors All actors were men Chorus made up of well-trained boys