Theatre Histories: Grieks theater L1

what do the words theatron(a place to see), spectacle(spectare→to view), and shibai(to be on the grass) suggest about theatre?

theatre is not only attributed to the
performance but to the
audience, people who see

how did modern theatre change compared to ancient theatre?

it became a place for dialogue between humans instead of ritual for gods

what is ritual in early societies?

a repeated, formalized action meant to influence supernatural forces that control food supply and well-being

why did early societies create rituals?

they believed certain actions could bring desirable outcomes and began repeating them

what is myth?

a story that explains, disguises, or idealizes rituals and the supernatural forces involved

how are myths connected to rituals?

myths often grow out of rituals and explain their purpose or meaning

Where did the theory come from that theatre evolved from rituam and myth

From western scholars who believed in cultural darwinism

What did western scholars believe in when talking about cultural darwinism

They believed that theatres developed from the primitive to the complex, and, thus, claimed that Western theatre which separated itself from rituals were superior to non-Western artforms and that the ”less-advanced” societies will ultimately reach European culture if it evolves enough.

why is relating and listening to stories important for theatre

because storytelling and reenacting events through pantomime and impersonation are fundamental human pleasures that led to early forms of performance

Storytelling as prototype of theatre(3)

• Relating and listening

• Imitation

• Fantasy

how did imitation contribute to the evolution of theatre?

some people believe that when people began imitating animals or actions, and through imitation, narrative dance and song developed into theatre

what role does fantasy play in theatre?

humans seek to reshape reality into more satisfying forms than those encountered in daily life. Theatre is one tool where people can define and understand their world or escape from unpleasant realities

what does comedy provide in theatre?

a detached view of human problems that allows people to see deviations from norms as ridiculous instead of threatening. Through this detachment people can analyze their social problems

why was the aesthetic sense important for theatre?

Admiring plays for their artistic qualities and not for their religious usefulness.

what is the role of the audience in the emergence of theatre?

a,society that acknowledges the value of theatre as an autonomous and artistic activity. If nobody sees beauty and pleasure in a performance, the rituals and storytelling will remain only functional rather than artistic

what were the abydos passion plays about?

they reenacted the life and death of osiris(son of the earth and the sky, who was killed by his brother set and buried in pieces across egypt

what do some scholars argue about the abydos plays?

that there is no clear evidence the resurrection of osiris was ever performed

what did the audience of the abydos passion plays believe in and when would the plays have been performed?

they believed in divine powers and took part as faithful citizens of egypt and between 2500 bce and 550 bce

when did ancient egypt exist?

around 3150 b.c.e. to 641 a.d

When did ancient Greece exist

around 1500 bce to 300 bce

Notable differences between Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece(4)

• years

• places

• society

• theatre

Difference between ancient egypt and ancient greece when talking about location

North africa around egypt and Greece around the city-state of athens

Difference between ancient egypt and ancient greece when talking about their respectuve societies

Static and repetic in contrast with dynamic and changing

What was theatre like in ancient egypt opposed to ancient greece

Never developed theatrically
beyond ritualized performances,
repeating the same ceremonies
year after year for centuries

what was theatre like in ancient greece opposed to ancient egypt

Went onto a theatre in which new plays
were presented each year. Thus, one
could argue that Greeks were the one’s
who took the decisive step toward an
autonomous theatre.

who is martin bernal?

a scholar who argued that egypt, black africa, and the near east’s contributions to european culture were distorted in the 19th century

what caused the distortion of egypt, black africa, and the near east’s contributions to european culture according to bernal?

racial attitudes that viewed some races as physically and mentally superior. Creativity required racial purity. Greece was seen as the pure origin of european civilization by romantics

what three elements began in greek theatre?

playwriting, acting, and theatre production

what are the three basic dramatic forms in greek theatre?

tragedy, comedy and satyr plays

where were greek plays performed?

Plays were performed in open-air theatre (theatron)

What was the plot of a tragedy in greek theatre

The plot of a tragedy was almost-always inspired by
episodes of Greek mythology. The subject matters dealt with moral rights and wrongs thus was violence not permitted and deaths were off-stage

how is greek theatre connected to religion?

it was closely linked to the worship of greek gods of Whom Zeus was the leader with his wife Hera

what ceremonies existed before the 5th century b.c.e. in greek theatre?

There were ceremonies honoring Dionysus, the god of wine, fertility, and revelry; later Greek drama was presented in honor of Dionysus

Dithyramb(definition)

a long hymn, sung
and danced by a group of 50 men or
boys. Its format may have been like that of a
modern-day choral presentation

What was the difference between the leader of the dithyramb and the other members.

The leader of the chorus recited or sang
an improvised story while the other
members sang a popular refrain

What choral performance is thought to be
the beginning of Greek dramas

The dithyramb honoring dyonisus

Why is athens considered the birthplace of democracy?

because in 510 b.c.e. it established a democracy of free male citizens who were not slaves or foreigners

how are democracy and theatre connected in athens?

theatre functioned as a testing place for direct democracy where citizens watched performances and discussed societal issues

who was excluded from the athenian democracy?

women, foreigners, children, and slaves

were women and slaves allowed to attend or perform in theatre?

it is believed they were not allowed, and men played female roles using masks

Who is Aeschylus and for what was he considered to be the founder of.

He was the first to develop drama into a form separate from singing, dancing, or storytelling. he is often considered the founder of Greek drama and
therefore of all Western drama.

With what did Aeschylus’ plays deal with?

Noble families and lofty themes and were praised for their lyric poetry and their dramatic structure

What did Aeschylus add to a drama

The idea of a second actor. This was an important development in theatre practice, since it allowed for true dialogues

Famous plays Aeschylus(3)

• The Persians (472 BCE)

• Seven Against Thebes (467
  BCE)

• The Oresteia Trilogy (Agamemnon,The libation Bearers, The Eumenides, 458 BCE.)s

Who were famous/important playwrights in Greek tragedy

• Aeschylus

• Sophocles

• Euripides

How did Sophocles construct his plots

he introduces
characters and information skillfully and then builds swiftly to a climax

which play of sophocles did aristotle use as a model for analyzing tragedy?

oedpius the king(oedipus rex)

how many plays did sophocles write and how many survive completely?

He wrote over 120 plays but only 7 survive completely

What are the 7 plays of Sophocles that survived completely

• Ajax

• Antigone

• Women of Trachis,

• Oedipus Rex (or, Oedipus the King)

• Electra

• Philoctetes

• Oedipus at Colonus

what was sophocles’ record in dramatic competitions of the city-state of athens during the religious festivals of the Dionysia

He competed in 30 festivals of Dionysia and won
24 and was never judged lower than second place.

How is Euripides different from Sophocles and Aeschylus

He is considered to be the most modern writer

what distinguishes euripides’ writing style

he portrayed women sympathetically, used greater realism, mixed tragedy with melodrama and comedy, and treated gods and heroes skeptically which made them more human

why were euripides’ plays controversial?

he portrayed gods as human and flawed, which some thought undermined the traditional moral order

Why was Euripides the most tragic of poets

He focused µ on the inner lives and
motives of his characters in a way previously unknown. This influenced Shakespeare, Racine, Strindberg and others

how many plays did euripides write and how many survive?

he wrote around 92–95 plays; 18 or 19 have survived as mostly intact

Name surviving plays by euripides(6)

• Medea

• Andromache

• Electra

• The Trojan Women

• Orestes

• Bacchae
  

Tell me about the greek chorus

12-15 men sang and danced in unison,
accompanied by a double-reed instrument called an aulete.

who was a chorodidaskalos in a greek chorus with greek tragedies.

a choral trainer employed for all festival productions and important to note that there were no directors

What did the Greek chorus help with during performances at dramatic functions(4)

• provided expository or background information

• commented on the action

• interacted with other
  characters

• described offstage action

What did a greek chorus often represent in a tragedy

The common people of the city-state ruled by the tragic hero

what happened to athens in 413 b.c.e.

athens suffered its worst defeat in the peloponnesian war, leading to the collapse of its empire

what type of government did athens have during the peloponnesian war?

democracy, while sparta had an oligarchy

What is an oligarchy

a small group of elites controlling the state

what happened in athens in 430 b.c.e.?

During the second year of Peloponnesian War (430BCE), a
plague hit Athens and approximately 75,000 to 100,00 died. That is around
a quarter of the population. Among the victims of the plague was Pericles,
the leader of Athens

how did the peloponnesian war affect athens’ economy?

The economy of Ancient Athens was based on
trading with other cities. But due to the elongated war with other parts
of Greece, Athens economy gradually declined and went into great
poverty after losing the war to Spartans.

Notable differences between greek comedies and satyr plays(5)

• tense

• setting

• narrative

• ending

• purpose

Difference between greek comedy and satyr plays when talking about tense and setting

Satyr plays were set in the mythical past in a rural setting while the greek comedy was set in the present in an urban setting

Difference between greek comedy and satyr plays when talking about the narrative and ending of the plays

Satyr plays were based on chaos and their endings did not necessarly have any reconciliation. The greek comedy’s narrative was based order and concluded with a promise. It’s endings offered absurd answers to real problems

What was the difference between when a satyr play or a greek comedy was performed

Satyr plays were immediately played after 3 tragedies and made fun of the plightof the tragic characters. The greek comedy was played after Satyr plays and ironically mockedmen in power of the contemporary times.

What was the structure of a greek comedy’s plot?

1. Ordinary and happy-going everyday scene is revealed.

2.  Something happens that impels a crisis.

3. Crisis is resolved.

4.  Matters return to their, more-or-less original state; or even better state

5. A happy ending with a conciliation through celebration, often marriage

why is dante’s divina commedia called a “comedy”?

because, like comedy, it moves from suffering to a harmonious and happy ending, not because it contains jokes

Scornful laughter synonyms(3)

superiority, derision, degradaton theory

who developed the theory of scornful laughter?

Thomas Hobbes

what does thomas hobbes say about laughter in leviathan about scornful laughter

laughter arises from “sudden glory,” caused either by something that pleases oneself or by noticing something deformed in another, making us feel superior

Two principles of ancient greek comedy

• Superiority

• Incongruity

what is the theory of incongruity in comedy?

it explains laughter as arising from the sudden perception of something unexpected or inconsistent

who first developed the theory of incongruity

german philosopher immanuel kant

who further developed the theory of incongruity?

german philosopher arthur schopenhauer

what did schopenhauer say about the cause of laughter? (theory of incongruity)

The cause of laughter in every case is simply the
sudden perception of the incongruity
between a concept and the real objects […],
and laughter itself is just the expression of this
incongruity.

What is the parabasis in a greek comedy

a scene in which the chorus speaks directly to the audience, makes fun of the spectators and specific audience members, or satirizes other subjects.
Religious and political officials and other people in power attended dramatic festivals and were seated in the front row of the theatre to be ridiculed by the actors

who was aristophanes?

a playwright of old attic comedy in ancient athens and the only surviving representative of old comedy

how many of aristophanes’ plays survive today?

11 out of 40

what did aristophanes’ plays consist of?(6)

• chorus

• mime

• burlesque

• bold fantasy

• merciless invective
  unabashedly lewd, outrageous satire

• marked freedom of political criticism

what social changes did aristophanes address in his plays?

he used his plays to ridicule the ideas
and people that he felt were leading Athens to ruin. This was because Athenswas changing rapidly in his lifetime and greed for an empire was
undermining the traditional moral order

what is notable about aristophanes’ play the clouds

It made a caricature of socrates. Since, the attack was so vicious, plato would later write that the play would lead Socrates’ eventual arrest and execution

What is aristophanes’ role in Plato’s Symopsium

He appears as a character and he speaks of the origin of love where everyone else talks about politics and social struggles.

Characters in Aristophanes’ Lycestrata(6)

• Lysistrata

• Calonice

• Myrrhine

• Chorus of old men

• Stratyllis and her chorus of old women:

• Magistrate

Lycistrate (Explanation Play Lycestrata)

Protagonist of the story. Intelligent, driven Athenian woman who wants peace and ultimately gets it. She encounters opposition but is clever and able to enlist the sexuality of her and fellow women, in order to achieve her goals. She is quick witted and able to argue persuasively with ease and grace.

Calonice (Explanation Play Lycestrata)

An Athenian woman, Lysistrata’s neighbour. She is initially excited about the prospect of the plan
involving diaphanous clothing and fancy gowns but does enlist in the cause

Myrrhine (Explanation Play Lycestrata)

An Athenian woman. Like Lysistrata, she is smart and able to use her sexuality to manipulate her
husband. She plays a pivotal role in the execution and success of the plot.

Chorus of old men(Explanation Play Lycestrata)

he Chorus of old men represent the frail old men of Greece. They are hopeless and
bumble around, consistently losing out to the women at every turn

Stratyllis and her chorus of old women (Explanation Play Lycestrata)

They are clever and stubborn(not like the old men) They represent the women who are no longer fertile and are sent by Lysistrata to occupy
the Acropolis. They play a crucial role in the plot, though not explicitly using their sexuality.

Magistrate (Explanation Play Lycestrata)

The magistrate is knocked back by Lysistrata, who does not respect his authority at all and is able
to outfox him in a battle of wits. He represents the status quo that men are in power and know best. He has his beliefs exposed for hypocrisy.

Themes of feminist determination in Aristophanes’ Lycestrata(5)

• Lysistrata’s determination to pursuade women

• Doesn’t surrender even to the magistrate

• Striking because women had no public right in Ancient Athens

• Lysistrata’s determination to stand up to Spartan women, older men, older women,
  and even magistrates is a testament of her will to stop the war.

• Reminder: in ancient Greek times,
  all actors as well the audience members were men.
  

Themes of civil disobedience in Aristophanes lycestrata(3)

• Women from different sides of the war come together and conduct a sex strike to cease war

• bring their husbands to their needs, by standing up against them and denying sex until they stop fighting with the opponents

• Reminder: At the end of the play the women go back to their domestic roles, we can see that the play is written by a white man in ancient times, it is thus too far-fetched to call it a feminist play

Theme of sex in aristophanes’ lycestrata

Driving theme of the play: often said that the two motivating forces of humanity are sex and money: Lycistrata denies the men sex and occupies the
Citadel (The Acropolois) where the money is kept. The woman maintain their determination and the men succumb to their desperation for sex. Men who return from the war in the play are represented by huge erections; which symbolizes and mocks the behaviour of the men.

What does Creon represent in Sophocles’ Antigone

ethical order, and state authority, based on the
principles of universality: laws of the state.

What does Antigone represent in Sophocles’ Antigone

laws of the household gods, that is kinship

What is the relationship between state and kinship according to Hegel? (Sophocles’ Antigone)

They are binary opposites; kinship must give way to state authority as the final arbiter of justice.

What contradiction exists in Hegel’s theory about state and kinship?(Sophocles’ Antigone)

While citizens must fight for the state, only mothers (kinship) can produce those citizens—so kinship approaches the state.