GREEK THEATER

SINGLE PERFORMANCE AT FESTIVAL OF DIONYSUS: THE AFFIRMATION OF CIVIC VALUES. TRAGIC (3) AND COMIC (5) POETS. LITURGIES. TRAGEDY= "goat song." 3 TRAGEDIES + 1 SATYR PLAY. TRILOGY. PRIZE.

ORIGINS: DITHYRAMB (a hymn to Dionysus). MASKS. THESPIS (LATE 6TH B.C.): INVENTION OF THE FIRST-PERSON NARRATOR (protagonist). CHORUS, CHORAL AND SPOKEN PASSAGES (stasima and episodes). AESCHYLUS INTRODUCES SECOND ACTOR: CONFLICT (antagonist). STICHOMYTHIA "line by line speech.) SOPHOCLES INTRODUCES THIRD ACTOR.

THE THEATER: ORCHêSTRA ("dancing place"), SKêNê ("tent").MASKS, MYTHICAL SUBJECTS. MALE AUDIENCE

AESCHYLUS (525-456 BC). SEVEN PLAYS. THEME, NOT CHARACTER, "MAN" NOT "MEN" CAUGHT IN FORCES BEYOND ONE’S CONTROL. THE FAMILY (oikos) AT WAR AGAINST ITSELF. "HE WHOM THE GODS WOULD DESTROY, THEY FIRST DRIVE MAD" (atê). HYBRIS ("VIOLENCE") IS ENCOURAGED BY PROSPERITY, BUT GOD'S WILL DOES NOT OVERRIDE HUMAN CHOICE. THE ORESTEIA, PARABLE OF PROGRESS: AGAMEMNON: THE RULE OF ZEUS IS THE SURENESS OF DIKê ("justice"); CHAIN OF SIN AND RETRIBUTION; KNOWLEDGE THROUGH SUFFERING. LIBATION BEARERS: "WHEN WILL IT END?" EUMENIDES ("well-minded ones"): CIVIL LAW REPLACES BLOOD VENDETTA

SOPHOCLES: (494-405 BC). SEVEN PLAYS. CONFLICT ON MANY LEVELS. DIGNITY OF THE INDIVIDUAL IN CONFLICT WITH SUPERIOR, OFTEN IRRATIONAL FORCES. "AS HUMANS OUGHT TO BE." THE LONELY UNBENDING HERO. THE LATE LEARNER. CHORUS OF FALSE JOY. FOLKLORE: HOW THE ORACLE WAS FULFILLED (CF. HERODOTUS), “DEATH AND THE MAIDEN,” FOUNDLING (Oedipus). ANTIGONE: CUSTOM (nomos) VS. NATURE (physis) OEDIPUS THE KING: GREEK PESSIMISM

EURIPIDES: (480-406). NINETEEN PLAYS. GREAT RANGE. DEBATE. PASSIONATE OFTEN EROTIC AND ESPECIALLY FEMALE EMOTIONS THAT MOTIVATE THE ACTION (CF.CURSE, DIVINE ANGER IN AESCHYLUS; FATE IN SOPHOCLES): "I KNOW WHAT EVIL I AM ABOUT TO DO, BUT MY PASSION IS STRONGER THAN MY REASON": MEDEA. ATTACK ON MYTH. DEFLATED HEROES. SENSATIONALISM. HAPPY ENDINGS. BACCHAE: THE LIMITS OF REASON.

ARISTOPHANES: (450-385). ELEVEN PLAYS. "OLD COMEDY." POLITICAL SATIRE. LACK OF MYTH. TOPICALITY. OBSCENITY (PROPHYLACTIC ORIGINS?). THE BIRDS (414 BC), LYSISTRATA: (411 BC): THE NATURAL RESTING PLACE OF A PYRAMID IS ON ITS APEX

ARISTOTLE ON TRAGEDY (POETICS, c. 340 BC). MIMESIS ("imitation"). PITY AND FEAR. KATHARSIS ("cleansing"). http://aristotle.thefreelibrary.com/Poetics-of-Aristotle

DRAMATIC NEED. PLOT ELEMENTS: REVENGE; THE FOUNDLING; THE SUPPLIANT; HUMAN SACRIFICE; BRIDE OF DEATH.

STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS: PERIPETEIA ("turning around"), ANAGNORISIS ("recognition"), KATASTROPHE ("turning down") HAMARTIA ("missing of the mark").