PUSAT PENGAJIAN SENI

ACADEMIC SESSION 20/21 – SEMESTER 1

VTT 161 – INTRODUCTION TO DRAMA AND THEATRE

ESSEY 30%

GREEK TRAGEDY

PREPARED BY :

FADHILAH UJANG RICOH (145011)

FOR :

DR. ANDIKA AZIZ HUSSIN

INTRODUCTION

Greek tragedy was created back in the city-state of Athens in the last thirty years of the

sixth century B.C.E. The subject that been issues mostly from Mythology that included the

stories of historical saga, an oral story including the stories about God and other supernatural

power that been transfer from generations to another generations by words of mouth. Due to the

history was only raised without a solid transcript; it does only can be remembered during the

crucial times of a life to the community. Nonetheless, tragedy strictly speaking, neither historical

nor mythological; it is a poetic drama in the sense that poetry rises above the particulars of

history and expresses human nature and true behavior of a universal kind.

The term of tragedy means the song of tragôidoi and brings meanings of "he-goat

singers." It is still haven‟t discover the real reason as why the goat involves in it but it can be

explain through a particular reason to it. First, it is to believe that the goat was used as an offer of

a prize for Choruses competition; secondly as it to believe that member of the choruses

distinguished as half-animal demons in the service of Dionysus and used goat skins during the

ritual or the play.

According to Aristotle ( Poetics, ch. 4), tragedy originated from the improvisations of the

exarchontes (song leaders) of the dithyramb. Dithyramb was a religious hymn in honor of

Dionysus that was origin in antiquity that was taken for granted. “Dionysus was the ancient

Greek god of wine, winemaking, grape cultivation, fertility, ritual madness, theater, and religious

ecstasy”. However, due to the loss of Dionysiac and there‟s only one play that advantageously

been preserved, Euripides, and Bacchae has been introduced; namely the myth of the resistance

for the introduction of the Dionysus‟s cult to Thebes. Nevertheless, Dithyramb lost its religious

connection and it‟s been change into a choral poetry that drew the more towards the mythology.

Greek Theatre has witness lots of authors and their great content that still been used as an

entertainment and some of it has been adapted into a new cultural society. As from this essay, I

will lists three of the Greek writers that used to be well-known for their great works and

literature content. Along with it, they will be lists of a characteristics or features for the Classical

Greek Theatre and an example that can be found in Greek‟s Tragedy play.

Image of Dionysus

Image of Dithyramb

CONTENT

1. 3 FAMOUS GREEK TRAGEDY AUTHORS

The first of the great poet of Greek tragedy was Aeschylus form c.525 until c.456

BCE or knows as Father of Tragedy. He added more flavour and drama into his play by

squeezed the age-old stories and myth that are familiar to the audience; innovatively he

added more roles and dialogue for a minor part to make it the story line more

understandable and interesting. Aside from that, he often has a specific theme between

his plays and creating sequels to make it more intense. For instance for such trilogy is

Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers or knows as Cheoephori, and The Furies or

Eumenides. “Aeschylus is said to have described his work, consisting of at least 70 plays

of which six or seven survive, as „morsels from the feast of Homer‟” (Burn 206). It is to

believe that he dreamed of God Dionysus and ordered him to focusing more on the art of

the tragedy and by doing so his first play was performed when he was only 26 and at the

age of 41, he won his first awards at Athens‟ annual Dionysia playwriting competition.

Image of Aeschylus

Secondly of the great poet is Sophocles of Kolōnos from c. 496 - c. 406 BCE. He

is one of the famous tremendously famous poets during that period of time and I can

safely say that he paved the way of tragedy play to the outside of Greek. Sophocles‟

works not only included the myth or typical Greek‟s ancient stories but he also provided

an insight of other social topic including politics and the social life of Greek‟s community

from family issues and also religion. From his works, the world now can get into a

perfectly well pictured of Greek‟s era and their glory day. In addition, Sophocles‟

innovations in theatre presentation would provide the foundations for all future western

dramatic performance, and his plays continue to be performed today in theatres around

the world. Sophocles career as a poet was until he‟s in 90‟s and had won so many awards

and recognition for his play and production. “Sophocles won at least 20 festival

competitions, including 18 at the City Dionysia. He also came second many times and

never had the ignominy of being voted third and last in competitions. Sophocles was,

therefore, at least in terms of victories, the most successful of the three great tragedians”.

One of his famous work was Oedipus Rex or Oedipus the King (429 - 420 BCE) is a

story about the King that live with his curse since he was born and little did he knew he‟s

making a biggest mistake by killing his own father and married his own mother that he

titled as a queen and a mother for his two beloved children.

Image of Sophocles

Lastly of the poets classic tragedy was Euripides from c. 484-407 BCE. Euripides

was well known among the public because of his new and refreshing idea that his

portrayed in his play. However, his acquaintance with new ideas brought him restlessness

rather than conviction due to the fact that he always questioning his attitude towards the

traditional Greek‟s religion and other such as things as a though-provoking of a treatment

among the social status and hierarchy and other scandalous subject. Other than hands, he

projected such a remarkable play and gets a full supports from the audience as its shows a

reality of a Greek‟s social life. In spite of the fact of the popularity he received from the

community, he only won a few awards from the festival competitions. “Of around 90

plays, 19 survive, amongst the most famous being Medeia - where Jason, of the Golden

Fleece fame, abandons the title character for the daughter of the King of Corinth with the

consequence that Medeia kills her own children in revenge”. Sadly, he also was known as

one of the unsuccessful poets because of the little recognitions that he received.

Image of Euripides

2. THE FEATURES OF CLASSIC GREEK TRAGEDY

What makes tragedy different with a comedy can be shown by the features or

characteristics of the play. These features can be seen from all of the Greek tragedy play

that used to be so popular during Greek era up until this moment. There are five features

for the classic Greek tragedy have been listed which are a tragic hero, tragic flow,

catastrophe, chorus and central believe; fate.

First features are tragic hero. In every play of Greek tragedy, it‟s a center of

attention and it is the hero, the main character or a protagonist. The hero must have a high

ranking in social status and accepting his or her fate that led to their downfall with

dignity. The main character will be the one who‟s not gain a happy ending but they‟re the

one that suffers the most as it is a tragedy. We can clearly see these features in Oedipus

the King by Sophocles. Oedipus is a King of Thebes, he‟s a ruler for his own kingdom

that he gain after he successfully killed the previous king, Laius; rather than he knows it‟s

his own father and he found out that he was born with a tragic prophecy that eventually

being disown by his parents.

OEDIPUS : “….—I, Oedipus,

whose fame all men acknowledge….”

PRIEST: Oedipus, ruler of my native land,

you see how people here of every age

are crouching down around your altars,

(Line 8& 16)

Line above shows that how Oedipus has everything going for him in the beginning of the

play and he enjoys being the center of attention, and also as a King of the land.

OEDIPUS: Ah, so it all came true. It’s so clear now.

O light, let me look at you one final time,

a man who stands revealed as cursed by birth, 1420

cursed by my own family, and cursed

by murder where I should not kill.

(Line 1418-22)

Following the first features is tragic flow. It is an error of misjudgments that have

been made by the hero or the main characters that will contribute to the tragic flows. In

point of fact it is made because of a pride and arrogance that exist in a main character‟s

attitude. As a whole, the tragic hero or the hero itself that actually contributing to their

own suffering and tragic life because of their strong-willed and ignorance. In Oedipus the

King, he can avoided this tragedy happening to him by listening to Jocasta, and Tiresias‟

advise by not seek for the truth or just by staying put at his place.

TEIRESIAS: You are all ignorant. I will not reveal

the troubling things inside me, which I can call

your grief as well.

OEDIPUS: What are you saying?

Do you know and will not say? Do you intend

to betray me and destroy the city?

(Line 391-99)

TEIRESIAS: Creon is no threat.

You have made this trouble on your own.

( Line 456-57)

TEIRESIAS: This day will reveal that and destroy you.

(Line 529)

Throughout the text, Oedipus tries to force Teiresias to speak the truth the killer

of Laius, but Teiresias insisted to tell the truth as he knows the truth will not bring any

justice but only a tragedy and painful to the Oedipus. Oedipus was trying to control his

fate by escaping the suffering if he stays put with Polybus that he believe was his real

father. He runs away from Corinth to avoid killing his father and marrying his mother,

and by running away he fulfills his own fate and was able to change the prophecy.

Oedipus tries to maintain control as well by stopping at nothing to find Laius' killer, even

with warnings from Jocasta, Tiresias, and others to stop searching for the answers, and

the truth eventually will destroys him.

Next features that can be found in classic Greek tragedy is Catastrophe.

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, catastrophe is a a sudden event that causes very

great trouble or destruction and from the classic Greek tragedy it can be means a tragic

ending that involves with multiple death or a great suffer. In Oedipus the King, even

though he‟s not dead but he‟s suffering from a great pain and he lost both of his eyes as

he stated that there‟s no joy from him on this world and he all he deserve is darkness and

pain. His beloved wife or his mother that he never known had died from a great pressure

and distressed and both of his kids been taken away from him.

SECOND MESSENGER: She killed herself. You did not see it,

so you'll be spared the worst of what went on.

But from what I recall of what I saw

you’ll learn how that poor woman suffered.

She left here frantic and rushed inside,

fingers on both hands clenched in her hair.

She ran through the hall straight to her marriage bed.

She went in, slamming both doors shut behind her

and crying out to Laius, who’s been a corpse

a long time now. She was remembering

that child of theirs born many years ago—

the one who killed his father, who left her

to conceive cursed children with that son.

She lay moaning by the bed, where she,

poor woman, had given birth twice over—

a husband from a husband, children from a child.

How she died after that I don’t fully know.

With a scream Oedipus came bursting in.

He would not let us see her suffering,

her final pain. We watched him charge around,

back and forth. As he moved, he kept asking us

to give him a sword, as he tried to find

that wife who was no wife—whose mother’s womb

had given birth to him and to his children.

As he raved, some immortal power led him on—

no human in the room came close to him.

With a dreadful howl, as if someone

had pushed him, he leapt at the double doors,

bent the bolts by force out of their sockets,

and burst into the room. Then we saw her.

She was hanging there, swaying, with twisted cords

roped round her neck. When Oedipus saw her,

with a dreadful groan he took her body

out of the noose in which she hung, and then,

when the poor woman was lying on the ground—

what happened next was a horrific sight—

from her clothes he ripped the golden brooches

she wore as ornaments, raised them high,

and drove them deep into his eyeballs,

crying as he did so: "You will no longer see

all those atrocious things I suffered,

the dreadful things I did! No. You have seen

those you never should have looked upon,

and those I wished to know you did not see.

So now and for all future time be dark!"

With these words he raised his hand and struck,

not once, but many times, right in the sockets.

With every blow blood spurted from his eyes

down on his beard, and not in single drops,

but showers of dark blood spattered like hail. So what these two have done has

overwhelmed

not one alone—this disaster swallows up

a man and wife together. That old happiness

they had before in their rich ancestry 1530

was truly joy, but now lament and ruin,

death and shame, and all calamities

which men can name are theirs to keep.

( Line 1477-1533)

CHORUS LEADER: In your distress it’s not astonishing

you bear a double load of suffering,

a double load of pain.

( Line 1571-73)

OEDIPUS: It was Apollo, friends,

it was Apollo. He brought on these troubles— ]

the awful things I suffer. But the hand

which stabbed out my eyes was mine alone.

In my wretched life, why should I have eyes

when nothing I could see would bring me joy?

(Line 1582-87)

After these lines, and after Creon and Oedipus leave, the chorus tells the audience, "see

[Oedipus] now and see the breakers of misfortune swallow him! Look upon that last day

always. Count no mortal happy till he has passed the final limit of his life secure from

pain" (1528-30). Oedipus may have found glory in the beginning of the play by solving

the Sphinx's riddle, but he could not keep this happy life forever. Oedipus eventually

failed to proof that he can change his fate and eventually living by it until the end.

Next of the features is Chorus, Chorus is a mass of group of an actors that been

observe the tragedy that‟s happening and presented their thought and the story line in a

form of songs. Chorus will be lead by a leader and the leader is a one of the important

rules for the play and they can interact with the other characters and have their own

dialogue. Frequently group of Chorus will be move in a same direction around the stage

and they will have their own scene and through this scene, the audience can get a glimpse

of the play.

[The PRIEST and the CITIZENS leave. Enter the CHORUS OF

THEBAN ELDERS]

CHORUS: Oh sweet speaking voice of Zeus,

you have come to glorious Thebes from golden Pytho—

but what is your intent?

My fearful heart twists on the rack and shakes with fear.

O Delian healer, for whom we cry aloud

in holy awe, what obligation

will you demand from me, a thing unknown

or now renewed with the revolving years?

Immortal voice, O child of golden Hope, 190

speak to me!

First I call on you, Athena the immortal,

daughter of Zeus, and on your sister, too,

Artemis, who guards our land and sits

on her glorious round throne in our market place,

and on Phoebus, who shoots from far away.

O you three guardians against death,

appear to me!

If before now you have ever driven off

(Line 183-99)

Lastly, the features of classic Greek tragedy is central believe; fate. During Greek

era, most of them believe in their fate and Greek God myth and it is to believe the fate

they carried since they were born. They believe that their fate and life decision was made

only by God‟s choice and therefore they should accepted and treasure their fate.

According to Britannica “the Fates were personified as three very old women who spin

the threads of human destiny. Their names were Clotho (Spinner), Lachesis (Allotter),

and Atropos (Inflexible). Clotho spun the “thread” of human fate, Lachesis dispensed it,

and Atropos cut the thread (thus determining the individual‟s moment of death). The

Romans identified the Parcae, originally personifications of childbirth, with the three

Greek Fates”. As for Oedipus, his fate was knows since his birth that he will killed his

own father and marry his own mother. To avoid such tragedy happens, King Louis

ordered his servant to kill that child, unfortunately because of his sympathy towards the

child he decided to give it the child to the old man who soon give it to Polybus and make

it as his own child. The child lives by his fate and at the end the prophecy about his

tragedy life became a reality.

SERVANT: Yes.

She was afraid of dreadful prophecies.

OEDIPUS: What sort of prophecies?

SERVANT: The story went

that he would kill his father.

( Line 1405-09)

CONCLUSION

Classic Greek tragedy was been popularized by the significant play that these

legend had come out with. In addition Greek tragedy bring a moral values to the audience

of Greek era and also for past, present and future. The features that been discovered in

Greek tragedy eventually makes the story line more interesting and scandalous in some

aspect and discussion. Nonetheless, it is such a good performing arts that exist since

ancient ago and will be cherish in upcoming futures.

Image of the play “Oedipus the King”

REFERENCES

1. Sophocles, Oedipus the King, c 420 BCE. (edt) Johnston.I August 2004, Malaspina

University-College, Nanaimo, BC, (2020) Retrieved 12 December 2020, from

https://www.slps.org/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=22453&dataid=

25126&FileName=Sophocles-Oedipus.pdf

2. CATASTROPHE | meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary. (2020). Retrieved 14

December 2020, from https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/catastrophe

3. Fate | Greek and Roman mythology. (2020). Retrieved 14 December 2020, from

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Fate-Greek-and-Roman-mythology

4. Cartwright, M., & Cartwright, M. (2020). Ancient Greek Tragedy. Retrieved 12

December 2020, from

https://www.ancient.eu/Greek_Tragedy/#:~:text=Greek%20tragedy%20was%20a%20po

pular,centuries%20after%20their%20initial%20premiere.