Greek Theatre and Aristotle

Aristotle

• b. 384BCE

• one of first scientists

• studied at plato's place for ~20 years

• created Aristotle's Poetics - for tragedy in theatre

• not rules but commentary

• Greek theatre came before poetics

exposition

introduction to the point of crisis (beginning)

the unities

action - contain only one story (no subplots)

time - within a day

place - no location change

development

development to the point of crisis (middle)

denouement

resolution of the point of crisis (end)

unity of action

a play should have more action that it follows with minimal subplots

unity of time

the action in a play should occur over a period of no more than 24hrs

unity of place

a play should exist in a single physical space and should not attempt to compress geography, nor should the stage represent more than one place

strophe

a stanza in which the chorus moves in one direction - towards the altar

antistrophe

a stanza in which the chorus counter turns and moves in the opposite direction

epode

chanted - standing still

hero

• relatively noble

• going from happiness to misery as a result of an error on part of the hero

• our pity and fear increases most when family is broken rather than strangers/enemies

• consistent

• good qualities

• realistic - not perfect

anagnorisis

"recognition or discovery" the point where the protagonist

• recognises the truth

• discovers another character's identity

• comes to a self-realisation this sudden action causes an emotional reaction in the audience

hamartia

"the hero's error or frailty"

• the hero frequently takes steps leading to a tragedy

• brings own downfall through ignorance/ poor judgment

• often because of personal pride (hubris) (fatal flaw - mistake/error/miscalculation)

peripeteia

"reversal" - where the opposite of what was planned/hoped for by the protagonist happens

catharsis

purgation/purification - purge your emotions to feel different after

the characteristics of tragedy 1

mimetic (relatable)

the characteristics of tragedy 2

serious

the characteristics of tragedy 3

tells a full story of an appropriate length

the characteristics of tragedy 4

contains rhythm and harmony

the characteristics of tragedy 5

rhythm and harmony occur in diff. combinations in diff. parts of the tragedy

the characteristics of tragedy 6

it's performed rather than narrated

the characteristics of tragedy 7

arouses feelings of pity and fear and then purges these feelings through catharsis

plot

• story/action of play

• most important

• beginning, middle, end

• no cliffhanger/loose ends

• problem must be huge

• universal

character

• secondary importance

• good

• higher status than audience

• consistent

• not perfect

spectacle

visual elements

• lighting

• set

• props

• costume

• movement

melody

• music

• collective sound

• sound effects

thought

idea/theme

diction

• language

• prose v verse

• rhythm

• rhyme

• long v short speeches

• enjoyable

• slang

styles of staging

• proscenium arch

• thrust

• traverse

• in the round

• end on/blackbox

• promenade

the orchestra

the dancing place where chorus are

once on stay on

chorus entrance/exit

entrance: parados (after prologue)

exit: exodus

the architectural skene

where the main actors enter and exit

stage left: wilderness

stage right: civilised society

centre: women

the auditory

the listening place

where audience sit

amphitheatre

name of Greek Theatre building

15,000 seats

thymele

shrine to god Dionysus

placed in centre of orchestra

Dionysus

Greek god of theatre, wine and celebration

festival lasts 3 days

thespius

first actor

chorus

12 men (Sophocles increased to 15)

choral odes

stasimon

why are the chorus masked

indicate gender, status, amplify voice

homogenous/homogeneity

move as one

leader of chorus

Coryphaeus

3 actors

protagonist

antagonist

tritagonist

protagonist

hero

goes through losing something to a realisation (Creon)

antagonist

villain / anti-hero

(Antigone)

tritagonist

other actors

Eccyclema/Cyclorama

a sheet at the back of the stage used when scenes where too obscene (taken off stage as too horrible to look at)
used tapestries

everyman

the chorus should represent everyone to build a bridge/connection between the actors and the audience

represent all; ages, heritages, genders, socioeconomic status