Greek Classical Period: Theater

tragedy and comedy

During the Greek classical period two genres of drama existed, they are:

write and perform

The Greeks were the first people to _____ and _____ dramas in theater.

tragic flaw, moral weakness, or inability to cope with unfavorable circumstances

The three possible reasons why the main character is brough to ruin or great sorrow is because of:

relationship between people and the gods and moral and social issues

During the Greek classical period two themes of tragedy existed, they are as follows:

Aeschylus

He wrote plays presented as trilogies usually bound together by a common theme.

Aeschylus

He wrote the drama ‘Oresteia’.

Agamemnon

This is the first part of ‘Oresteia’.

Agamemnon

In this part, King Agamemnon returns home from Troy and is treacherously murdered by his faithless wife Clytemnestra.

Orestes

This is the second part of ‘Oresteia’.

Orestes

In this part, Orestes, the son of Agamemnon, returns to Argos and avenges the murder of his father by slaying his mother and her a lover, Aegisthus.

Eumenides

This is the third part of ‘Oresteia’.

Eumenides

In this part, the goddesses called Erinyes pursue Orestes for murdering his mother until he is cleansed of his blood guilt and set free by the ancient court of the Areopagus, with the help of Athena, the goddess of wisdom.

Oresteia

This drama looks into the concepts of justice and mercy.

wisdom through suffering

Oresteia presents belief in a divine will, with the help of which humanity can gain _____ through _____.

law of the community; personal revenge

Oresteia presents the moral lesson that the _____ of the _____, not _____ _____, should decide punishment

Sophocles

Who accepted human suffering as unavoidable but stressed human courage and compassion?

Sophocles

He focused the spirit and significance of tragedy to the nature of man, his problems, and his struggles.

Oedipus Rex

This drama depicts the plight of Oedipus, a king doomed to kill his father and marry his mother.

despite efforts to avoid his fate, the deities’ decree comes true

Oedipus Rex teaches us that: 

Euripides

He focused on the characteristics that bring disaster to humans.

Euripides

He demonstrated sympathy towards victims of society, including women.

Electra (his sister)

Who convince Orestes to kill his mother as revenge for the death of his father?

Colonus

Where did Oedipus reconcile with his destiny?

Antigone

Whose love sustained Oedipus while he was in exile?

Euripides

Who showed the tragedy that war brings; disillusioned at the senselessness of war?

The Trojan Women

This drama follows the fates of the women of Troy after their city has been sacked, their husbands killed, and as their remaining families are about to be taken away as slaves.

humorous, with a happy ending or mocked people or their customs

During the Greek classical period two themes of comedy existed:

Aristophanes

He is the most famous writer of comedies.

Aristophanes

He created imaginative social satire and wrote plays with witty comments about leading figures and issues of the day.

The Knights

This drama is a satire on the Athenian politician and military leader Cleon, champion of the democratic forces and leader of the war party.

The Clouds

This drama is a satire about the Greek philosopher Socrates, for his values which Aristophanes thought were contrary to the interests of the state.

The Wasps

This is a satire on the courts of justice of the time.

The Birds

This is a satire on the Athenian fondness for litigation or lawsuits.

Lysistrata 

This is a satire on war in which women strike for peace by practicing celibacy.

Ecclesiazusae

This is a satire on the idea of communal ownership of property.

Plutus

This is a satire on the concept of redistribution of wealth in Athens.

theater

This is where dramas are presented.

open air stage built on a hill

The theater is designed to be:

Orchestra

This refers to the performing area (78 feet).

semi-circle and holds 17 thousand people

The seats of the theater is arranged in a _____ and holds _____ thousand people.

two people and a chorus

The drama is mainly about the interaction between _____ _____ and a _____.

written down; seen and heard

Plays were not meant to be _____ _____ and was meant to be both _____ and _____.

masks

Greek classical period is famous work actors who wear _____.