GREECEGREECE

Understanding culture and artUnderstanding culture and art

YOUR GOALS YOUR GOALS ARE TOARE TOUnderstand the elements of Greek Understand the elements of Greek

theater.theater.

Recognize how Greek ideals permeated Recognize how Greek ideals permeated Greek cultureGreek culture

Explain the art of rhetoric and the value Explain the art of rhetoric and the value of persuasionof persuasion

Identify fallacies of reasoningIdentify fallacies of reasoning..

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..

Corinth

Corinth

Corinth

ANCIENT GREEK PERIODANCIENT GREEK PERIODTheban PlaysTheban Plays

Oedipus, OaC, AntigoneOedipus, OaC, Antigone

Greeks believed:Greeks believed:

MAN IS THE MAN IS THE MEASURE OF MEASURE OF ALL THINGSALL THINGS

Throughout history, all Throughout history, all great civilizations have great civilizations have tried to connect tried to connect themselves to the Greeks:themselves to the Greeks:

RomeRomeRoman Catholic ChurchRoman Catholic ChurchEnglandEnglandFranceFrance

The White HouseThe White House

What is Philosophy?What is Philosophy?

Age-Old Age-Old Profound Profound QuestionsQuestions

What is Real and What is Not?What is Real and What is Not?

Why Are We Here?Why Are We Here?

How Did We Get Here?How Did We Get Here?

Where Are We Headed?Where Are We Headed?

..

Profound Profound QuestionsQuestions

Are often simpleAre often simple

YET…YET…

Are philosophically “deep.”Are philosophically “deep.”

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Their AnswersTheir AnswersAre sometimes simpleAre sometimes simple

YET…YET…

Often paradoxicalOften paradoxical

or even unknowable. or even unknowable.

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..

“ “ The The UNEXAMINED UNEXAMINED LIFELIFE is not worth is not worth

living. ” living. ”

SocratesSocrates before his death in 399 B.C. before his death in 399 B.C.

Aesthetics

Aesthetics

WHAT IS WHAT IS BEAUTYBEAUTY??

WHAT IS WHAT IS TRUTHTRUTH??

Epistemology

Epistemology

What is…What is…

WHAT IS WHAT IS GOODGOOD

THINKINGTHINKING??

Logic

Logic

WHAT IS WHAT IS REALITYREALITY??

Metaphysics

Metaphysics

WHAT IS WHAT IS RIGHTRIGHT??

Ethics

Ethics

WHAT WHAT FORM OF FORM OF GOVERNMENGOVERNMENTT IS BEST IS BEST??

Politics

Politics

POLITICS

POLITICS

The Greeks wished to The Greeks wished to maintainmaintain

idealideal proportionsproportions when when building any room or like building any room or like

structure from the ground up.structure from the ground up.

Today: The Today: The Parthenon in Athens Parthenon in Athens

(Int.)(Int.)

the the

Fibonacci SeriesFibonacci Series

0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, . .

http://goldennumber.net/classic/fibonser.htm

GREEK GREEK DRAMADRAMA

DRAMA: a literary composition written DRAMA: a literary composition written to be performed by actors in which a to be performed by actors in which a central character called a tragic central character called a tragic protagonist or hero suffers some protagonist or hero suffers some serious misfortune which is not serious misfortune which is not accidental and therefore accidental and therefore meaningless, but is significant in that meaningless, but is significant in that the misfortune is logically connected the misfortune is logically connected with the hero's actions. with the hero's actions.

SOPHOCLESSOPHOCLES

496 BC to 406 BC496 BC to 406 BC• Son of wealthy Athenian merchantSon of wealthy Athenian merchant• Lived during golden age of AthensLived during golden age of Athens

• Center of democracyCenter of democracy• Important figure in societyImportant figure in society

• Becomes cultural spokespersonBecomes cultural spokesperson• Noted playwrightNoted playwright• Wrote primarily tragediesWrote primarily tragedies• Witnessed decline of AthensWitnessed decline of Athens

• Wrote Wrote Oedipus at ColunusOedipus at Colunus

496-406 B.C.

““Fortunate Fortunate Sophocles who Sophocles who after a long life after a long life died, a happy and died, a happy and a gifted man after a gifted man after writing many fine writing many fine tragedies he made tragedies he made a good end, having a good end, having endured no evil.endured no evil.””

Phrynichas,Greek Comic Poet

GREEK THEATERGREEK THEATER

Plays were held at amphitheater for Plays were held at amphitheater for the Feast of Dionysiusthe Feast of Dionysius Tregedy means “goat lamentaion”—Tregedy means “goat lamentaion”—

dionysis was a satyrdionysis was a satyr God of wine and ecstasyGod of wine and ecstasy

GREEK THEATERGREEK THEATER

Theater used a chorusTheater used a chorus Theater itself began as chorus—singersTheater itself began as chorus—singers

—and then one person stepped out and —and then one person stepped out and sang solosang soloprotagonist. (Remaining protagonist. (Remaining chorus was antagonistchorus was antagonist

Chorus reflects what the audience is Chorus reflects what the audience is thinkingthinking

““color commentary”color commentary” Provides background and spectacleProvides background and spectacle

GREEK THEATERGREEK THEATER

Characters wore a mask—called a Characters wore a mask—called a “persona”“persona”

Faces reflected a variety of Faces reflected a variety of characters and their emotionscharacters and their emotions

Masks contained “megaphone” to Masks contained “megaphone” to amplify their voicesamplify their voices

SkeneSkene

EkkyklemaEkkyklema

From Aristotle’s From Aristotle’s PoeticsPoetics

The Six Aspects of The Six Aspects of TragedyTragedy

1.1. PLOTPLOT

2.2. CHARACTERCHARACTER

3.3. SPECTACLESPECTACLE

4.4. SONGSONG

5.5. DICTIONDICTION

6.6. THOUGHTTHOUGHT

From Aristotle’s From Aristotle’s PoeticsPoetics

The Six Aspects of TragedyThe Six Aspects of Tragedy

**

From Aristotle’s From Aristotle’s PoeticsPoeticsThe Six Aspects of TragedyThe Six Aspects of Tragedy

PLOTPLOT• Plot is the way the incidents are presented to the audiencePlot is the way the incidents are presented to the audience• Must be “whole” –beginning/ middle and endMust be “whole” –beginning/ middle and end

• Incentive moment-Incentive moment- begins cause and effect begins cause and effect• ClimaxClimax• resolutionresolution

• Must be complete and have “unity of action”Must be complete and have “unity of action”• No “deus ex machina”No “deus ex machina”• No “episodic plots”No “episodic plots”

• Plot can be simple or complexPlot can be simple or complex• Catastrophe (cata/strophe): change in fortuneCatastrophe (cata/strophe): change in fortune• Perepetia: a reversalPerepetia: a reversal• Anagnorisis: recognitionAnagnorisis: recognition

Contemporary Short Story Pattern

From Aristotle’s From Aristotle’s PoeticsPoeticsThe Six Aspects of TragedyThe Six Aspects of Tragedy

CHARACTERCHARACTER• Personal motivations intricately connected to cause/ effect Personal motivations intricately connected to cause/ effect

aspect of plotaspect of plot• Protagonist should be renowned and prosperousProtagonist should be renowned and prosperous change change

from good to badfrom good to bad• HubrisHubris• Hamartia: a tragic flawHamartia: a tragic flaw

• Characters should have the following qualities:Characters should have the following qualities:• Good or fineGood or fine• Fitness of characterFitness of character• True to lifeTrue to life• ConsistencyConsistency• Necessary or probableNecessary or probable• Idealized/ ennobledIdealized/ ennobled

From Aristotle’s From Aristotle’s PoeticsPoeticsThe Six Aspects of TragedyThe Six Aspects of Tragedy

THOUGHTTHOUGHT• Reference to themeReference to theme

DICTIONDICTION• Word choice is proper and appropriateWord choice is proper and appropriate• Emphasis on style and use of literary devices Emphasis on style and use of literary devices

(metaphor)(metaphor)SONGSONG

• Musical element of the playMusical element of the play• Use of the chorusUse of the chorus

SPECTACLESPECTACLE* Production for effect* Production for effect

Persuasion and Persuasion and RhetoricRhetoric

David’s Death of Socrates: Neoclassical Period (1787)David’s Death of Socrates: Neoclassical Period (1787)

RhetoricRhetoric

Taught to Greek farmers to make their Taught to Greek farmers to make their cases at court.cases at court.

Aristotle described rhetoric as ‘the Aristotle described rhetoric as ‘the ability, in each particular case, to see ability, in each particular case, to see the available means of persuasion.”the available means of persuasion.” Dictionary: the art of speaking or writing Dictionary: the art of speaking or writing

effectivelyeffectively Can be negative—”baseless talk or writing”Can be negative—”baseless talk or writing”

RhetoricRhetoric

ETHOSETHOS Appeal based upon the character of the speakerAppeal based upon the character of the speaker Based on reputation of authorBased on reputation of author

OLDOLD FAMILY NAMEFAMILY NAME NOBILITYNOBILITY

NEWNEW TITLETITLE RESUMERESUME APPEARANCEAPPEARANCE

PATHOSPATHOS Appeal based upon emotionAppeal based upon emotion Be wary of becoming mindless in the face of emotionBe wary of becoming mindless in the face of emotion

Pity, shame, indignation, angerPity, shame, indignation, anger

RhetoricRhetoric

LOGOSLOGOS Appeal based on logic or reasonAppeal based on logic or reason Two typesTwo types

INDUCTIVEINDUCTIVE Specific to generalSpecific to general Use of observationsUse of observations

John was late and his hair was messyJohn was late and his hair was messy He overslept. He overslept. DEDUCTIVEDEDUCTIVE

General to specificGeneral to specific Use of syllogismUse of syllogism 1) premise + 2) premise1) premise + 2) premise conclusion conclusion

FALLACIES of REASONINGFALLACIES of REASONING

1. Ad Hominem Circumstantial1. Ad Hominem Circumstantial

2. Ad Hominem Tu Quoque2. Ad Hominem Tu Quoque

3. Ad Populem (Appeal to Belief)3. Ad Populem (Appeal to Belief)

4. Burden of Proof4. Burden of Proof

5. Appeal to Ridicule5. Appeal to Ridicule

6. Bandwagon6. Bandwagon

7. Division7. Division

AD HOMINEM AD HOMINEM CIRCUMSTANTIALCIRCUMSTANTIAL

EXAMPLE:EXAMPLE:

Lumpy can’t possibly be right Lumpy can’t possibly be right about his plan to help the poor about his plan to help the poor because he’s never known what because he’s never known what it’s like to be hungry.it’s like to be hungry.

AD HOMINEMAD HOMINEM

TU QUOQUETU QUOQUE

EXAMPLE:EXAMPLE:

““That hypocrite of a cop who gave That hypocrite of a cop who gave us a ticket for speeding was us a ticket for speeding was completely in the wrong for doing completely in the wrong for doing so because I saw that very same so because I saw that very same officer breaking the speed limit officer breaking the speed limit herself just yesterday!”herself just yesterday!”

BURDEN of PROOFBURDEN of PROOF

EXAMPLE:EXAMPLE:

Joe B:Joe B: “I think we should provide “I think we should provide money to the flood victims in New money to the flood victims in New Orleans.”Orleans.”

Lumpy:Lumpy: “But that’s not a good idea “But that’s not a good idea since we’re starving ourselves.”since we’re starving ourselves.”

Joe B:Joe B: “But how can you possibly “But how can you possibly against helping others?”against helping others?”

BANDWAGONBANDWAGON

EXAMPLE:EXAMPLE:

Hazing the freshman together isn’t Hazing the freshman together isn’t a big deal. Anyway, you should a big deal. Anyway, you should do it if only because if you don’t, do it if only because if you don’t, the team won’t ever trust you the team won’t ever trust you ever again.ever again.

DIVISIONDIVISION

EXAMPLE:EXAMPLE:

That ball is green; therefore the That ball is green; therefore the atoms that make up the ball are atoms that make up the ball are also green.also green.