Staging of a Greek Tragedy
- Props were used depending on what character you played
- Masks were used made out of many materials and sometimes even human hair
- In earlier plays animal skins were sometimes used for props
- Most props used were very simple (a crown for a king, spears for military, etc.)
- A "props-maker" (skeuopoios- made the props)
Costumes
Structure
Music and Dance
- Prologue- it's usually two scenes and sometimes three, speaker normally addresses audience, this follows the entry of the chorus, sometimes a monologue
- Parados- entry of the chorus and the song they sing, traditionally entered on an empty stage
- Episode- scene(s) between parados and the first stasimon, the length of episodes vary, sometimes divided by four chorale interludes, can contain dialogue
- Stasimon- an extended song of the chorus after the parados, gets shorter as play proceeds
- Exodos- scene(s) following final stasimon, this is when the crane was used for the gods appearance
- Epiparodos- sometimes the chorus goes off in the middle of the tragedy and then re-enters, sometimes a song accompanies it
Special Props
- Had long sleeves and went down to the knee or ankle
- Elaborately patterned (embroidered using a loom)
- Earlier fabrics seemed associated with 'Barbarian' characters
- At the end of the century characters wore patterned fabric and 'Barbarian' characters wore headdresses
- Wore masks during performances
- All chorale parts were sung along with a flute
- The chorus sang and danced
- Choros- dance in a ring
- Don't know exactly what sort of steps were in the dances
- Chorale songs divided into three sections: 1)Strophe- turning, circling 2)Antistrophe- counter-turning, counter-circling 3)Epode- the after song
Chorale
- Ekkyklema (wheel out)- large wheeled platforms could be rolled out to display scenes that had taken place beyond the view of the audience
- Mechane/Krane (Machine)- a crane-like device that was used to lift actors to make it appear like they were flying/ enter dramatically. This was used commonly to portray gods.
- Entered into a stately march singing or in small groups
- Passages sung and danced in unison
- Dialogue exchanged with main characters may have been sung
- Different music associated with different types of plays
Special Props
Ekkyklema
Color of Fabric
Footwear
- Dark clothing- mourning
- Yellow- feminine
- Costumes were intricate and important to the success of the tragedy
Greek costumes
- Flat soled boots
- Tragic costumes included different types of footwear depending on character
- Later on heeled boots worn and were a symbol for tragedy
- Cotharnus- high boot or soft shoe with thick sole
- the only evidence we have for how Greek costumes looked like come from pictures on vases that have been found.
- Today no masks survive because they lacked durability.
Three Unities and Playwrights
Three Greek Playwrights
Aeschylus- his are the oldest surviving plays. He began competing with plays in 449 B.C at Dionysus Theatre (one of the major theatres of the time in honor of Dionysus). -characters have limited traits, clear and distinct -emphasized forces that were beyond human control -power of state eventually replacing personal revenge. -chain of guilt and punishment(all reconciled at the end)
- Three unities: unity of time, unity of place, and unity of action
- unity of time- many plays were confined to a short period of time.
- Unity of Place- plays do no cut about (There is no "Meanwhile in Athens.."
- Unity of Action- Plots are focused and to the point; there should only be one storyline.
- These played a key role in the structure of the plays
Sophocles
Greek Theaters Today
Conventions of Greek Tragedy
- won 24 contests, never received lower than 2nd place at others
- fixed the chorus at 15 people
- -emphasis on individual characters -reduced role of chorus -more complex characters -exposition motivated -scenes climactic -poetry clear and lovely -action clear and made sense - few very elaborate visual effects - the theme of the play was emphasized
How a Greek Tragedy Was Staged
Euripides
- very popular, known as "The father of melodrama"
- -dealt with characters usually considered unfit to the stage which questioned values -dramatic method often unclear: not always clearly related episodes, with many reversals -less poetic language, more realistic characterizations and dialogue
Aristotle and the Three Unities
History Of The Greek Theater
Terms to Know
- analyzed plays and classified kinds of drama, and laid down overall rules for the construction of a tragedy.
- complained that the people of his time ruined plays by rhetorical display, the actor was more important than the play, and that the poets messed with the plot to give a favorite actor an opportunity to display his talent. He said the writers lacked the power of portraying character, drama was in need of new topics, and original ideas.
Any Questions?
- "reversal" (peripeteia): occurs when a situation seems like it s developing in direction, the suddenly turns to another
- "recognition"(anagnorisis or "knowing again"): a change from ignorance to consciousness of a bond of hate or love.
- "suffering" (pathos):the third element of plot is a destructive or painful act.
- Performed in late March/early April at annual state religious festivals in honor of Dionysus
- These plays took the form of contests between three Greek Playwrights
- all actors were male-may have impersonated satyrs (half men-half goat) by wearing masks and dancing in goat skins
- The word tragedy comes from the Greek word tragoedia meaning "goat song"
- Eventually, the singing of a choral lyric broadened to any heroic story, an actor was introduced to answer questions that were posed by the choral group
- The Greek word for actor is hypokrites, meaning answerer.
- Very large open aired structures
Often on side of a hill
- Orchestra- the dancing place and the primary performance area (Full circle)
- Theatron- the seeing place (rows of benches that were usually wooden and later on built of stone)
- Skene- the stage building (it means tent) originally a wooden building where actors changed out of costumes
- Parodos- exits and entrances (long ramps)
Location
There was preferential seating given to the priest and other important people
Front row center- High priest of Dionysus Eleuthereos
Special block of seats reserved for the council of assembly (Boule)