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Began twenty-five hundred years ago
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Originated in Athens
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Part of the four religious festivals associated with the annual grape
harvest held between December and March
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Greek dramatic displays originated with festivals honoring
Dionysis, the god of wine and revelry
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Festivals consisted of animal sacrifices, parades and dramatic
contests
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Only men had full citizenship
Slaves had no rights
Women had only certain privileges defined by
marriage
3 daily performances
Entire population invited; free
admission
 Daytime performances
 Annual drama competitions in
Athens were spread over several,
entire days
 Actors probably wore little or no
makeup. Instead, they carried masks
with exaggerated facial expressions.
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They also wore cothornos, which were
leather boots laced up to the knees.
Little or no scenery.
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During this time, major
theatres were constructed,
notably the theatre at
Delphi, the Attic Theatre
and the Theatre of
Dionysus in Athens.
•Immense scale – Theater of
Dionysis in Athens measures
150 feet across (size of a
football field) and seats 15-17
thousand spectators
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At the heart of the
semicircular amphitheater,
and at its lowest level,
stood the orchestra,
where the chorus
performed; the altar of
Dionysis stood here.
•Skene- rectangular building
behind the orchestra, decorated
with backdrops of painted
scenery or props
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Orchestra was ringed on
three sides by raked seats
Layout
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Tragedy, derived from the Greek words tragos (goat) and
ode (song), told a story that was intended to teach
religious lessons.
Much like Biblical parables, tragedies were designed to
show the right and wrong paths in life.
Tragedies were not simply plays with bad endings, nor
were they simply spectacles devised to make the audience
laugh and cry.
Whatever the root cause, the protagonist's ultimate
collision with fate, reality, or society is inevitable and
irrevocable.
Classical tragedy – definite written structure; no
intermission
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In 468 BC, Aeschylus was defeated in the tragedy competition by Sophocles.
Sophocles' contribution to drama was the addition of a third actor and an
emphasis on drama between humans rather than between humans and
gods.
 Sophocles questioned the Greek beliefs in the Gods
 Apollo “The Sun God,” also closely associated with Delphi, was believed
to give the gift of prophecy to some mortals.
 Theme of Prophesy – gods allow events to take place; already devised
plan for mankind
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Sophocles' plays are suffused with irony.
 Irony: an outcome of events contrary to what was, or might have been,
expected.
 Dramatic Irony: irony that is inherent in speeches or a situation of a
drama and is understood by the audience but not grasped by the
characters in the play.
Prologue
• Opening scene; story established
Parados
• Chorus enters; chants lyrics of play’s main
ideas
Episode
• Act or scene; plot is developed through action
and dialogue
Statismon
Exodus
• Choral Ode; summary or commentary about
action in an episode
• Final action; ceremonial exit of all players
MAIN CHARACTERS
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Oedipus – King of Thebes
Jocasta – Queen, Wife of
Oedipus
Creon – Jocasta’s brother
Tiresias – The blind
prophet
MINOR CHARACTERS
A priest of Zeus
 Messenger from Corinth
 Palace messenger
 A shepard
 Oedipus’s daughters
 Antigone
 Ismene
 Chorus: citizens,
commentary, change of
time/place; they are
spectators
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PLACES TO KNOW:
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Thebes: main action, city
with plague
▪ Lauis’ death at the three
crossroads
▪ A strange plague
▪ A kingdom without a king
▪ The terror of the Sphinx (part
lion, part bird, part woman)
▪ What walks on four legs, then
two legs, then three legs?
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Corinth: nearby city, ruled
by King Polybus and Queen
Merope
▪ Oedipus’ parents, Polybus and
Merobe
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Delphi: City of the oracle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=vNAM3PzGcow
BBC Greatest Show on Earth:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=xf9cDKqwhQw