Unit 1: Foundations of Drama

Classical Tragedy

According to Aristotle who first defined it using the Greek plays that were available to him, tragedy is:

“the imitation of an action that is serious and also, as having magnitude, complete in itself.”

Tragedy typically includes “incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish the catharsis of such emotions.”

The elements of a classical tragedy:

The tragic hero, though not perfect, is certainly in some way morally superior to most of the audience (and is nearly always upper class) but also exhibits…

elements cont.

“Hamartia,” the tragic flaw (literally, it translates as “error of judgment”) which is often…

hubris, loosely translated as arrogance, that causes the hero to believe he can outwit fate or violate a moral law, which leads in turn to…

some kind of catastrophe, which results in…

peripeteia or a complete reversal of fortune from happiness to disaster

Sounds so happy, doesn’t it?

elements cont.

A tragic hero in eight parts:

1. Protagonist worthy of reader’s admiration, concern, or sympathy

2. Possesses a flaw (hamartia) that leads to his or her ultimate downfall

3. Free to make choices and courageous enough to accept the consequences

4. Great capacity for suffering based on the belief that actions are right

Continued

5. Committed to the course of actions chosen

6. Protests vigorously against fate

7. Transfigured or redeemed into a better person, one who has learned from difficulty.

8. Destiny is inevitable death, actual or symbolic, related to the flaw

Classical Unities

From Aristotle’s Poetics Unity of Action—a play has one main action

with few or no subplots Unity of Time—the action of a play should

cover a duration of no more than 24 hours Unity of Place—a play should cover a single

physical space and should not attempt to compress geography; the stage should not represent more than one place

The Greek Theatre

Large open-air theaters—often built into a hill with step-like seating for the audience.

The Theater of Dionysus seated between 14,000 and 17,000.

Productions had to overcome difficulties related to Lighting Sound Spectator distance from the stage

The Greek Theater

Only men were allowed to actOnly three actors performed on stageThe Chorus (12-15 actors) was an

important element of the productionsRepresented the publicProvided background summaryRevealed information not offered by the

actorsReminded audience of moral issues

Dionysia

A spring festival honoring the god Dionysus (god of wine, theater, liberty)

Highlight was a theatrical contest held at the Theater of Dionysus

Winners were crowned in tragedy and comedy (including Satyr plays)

Sophocles

Born around 496 BCE probably near Attica; grew up in Colonus—the setting for many of his plays; came from a rather wealthy (but not aristocratic) family

Had a great education and became a writer during his teenage years; died at the age of 90 in 406 BCE

Sophocles

One of the most influential writers of Ancient Greece

For almost 50 years, Sophocles was the most-awarded playwright in the dramatic competitions; Sophocles competed in around 30 competitions; he won perhaps 24 and never received lower than second place

He wrote 123 plays, but only 7 survive in their entirety

Sophocles’ Plays

Oedipus the King (or Rex)1. considered the “perfect tragedy” by Aristotle2. conforms perfectly to the classical unities of action, time, and place

Antigone1. a good example of his modern techniques2. setting is Thebes' civil war3. Written during national tension—soon after the play was published, Sophocles was appointed general to lead an assault on Samos Island

Ancient Greek Culture

Values

1st: Honoring the Gods

2nd: Honoring the State

3rd: Honoring the Family Name

Review of the Gods

Athena

Zeus Hera

Artemis Dionysus

Hermes

Poseidon

Demeter

Hephaestus

AphroditeApollo

Ares

other gods

Map of Greece