Drama
An Introduction to Classical Tragedy
Background
• Religious Ceremony/Celebration
– Dionysus—god of wine and fertility
• Historical origins in the 6th century BCE
– Drama as we know it comes from the 5th century BCE
• The Three Great Tragedians
– Aeschylus
– Sophocles
– Euripides
Greek Theaters: the Venue
• Theatron – ―the viewing
place‖
• Orchestra –―the dancing
space‖
• Skene – ―tent‖
• Parodos – ―passageways‖
The Theatre of Dionysus
circa 330 BCE
Theatre of Dionysus
circa 2nd century BCE
Theatre of Dionysus
1st century CE (Roman Influence)
Theatre of Dionysus
(aerial view)
Structure of the Greek Play
The basic structure of a Greek tragedy is fairly simple.
After a prologue spoken by one or more characters, the
chorus enters, singing and dancing. Scenes then
alternate between spoken sections (dialogue between
characters, and between characters and chorus) and
sung sections (during which the chorus danced).
Here are the basic parts of a Greek Tragedy:
Structure of the Greek Play
1. Prologue: Spoken by one or two
characters before the chorus appears. The
prologue usually gives the mythological
background necessary for understanding
the events of the play.
Structure of the Greek Play
2. Parodos: This is the song sung by the
chorus as it first enters the orchestra and
dances.
Structure of the Greek Play
3. First Episode: This is the first of many
"episodes", when the characters and
chorus talk.
4. First Stasimon: At the end of each
episode, the other characters usually leave
the stage and the chorus dances and sings
a stasimon, or choral ode. The ode usually
reflects on the things said and done in the
episodes, and puts it into some kind of
larger mythological framework.
Structure of the Greek Play
For the rest of the play, there is alternation
between episodes and stasima, until the
final scene, called the...
5. Exodos: At the end of play, the chorus
exits singing a processional song which
usually offers words of wisdom related to
the actions and outcome of the play.
Drama Vocabulary
(or ―Words I Must Know to Pass‖)
• Protagonist: the main character of the play with
whom the audience identifies
• Antagonist: the character who opposes the
protagonist’s goals or desires
• Character:: a personality or role in the play
• Foil: a character whose traits contrast with
another’s (not necessarily the antagonist)
More Terms
• Theater: to imitate or represent life in performance
for other people; the performance of dramatic
literature
• Crisis: a decisive point in the plot upon which the
outcome of the remaining action depends
• Monologue: a long speech by a single character
– Soliloquy: a monologue revealing the inner thoughts of
a single character
– Aside: a direct address of the audience, often for humor
More Terms
• Center stage: the central area of the stage or
performance
• Downstage: the stage area toward the
audience
• Proscenium: the audience’s view of the
stage; the frame or boundary beyond which
the audience cannot see
The Final Term
(and arguably one of the most important)
• Convention: anything in a play that is not
believable but that we must accept as a
necessary part of the play so that we can
understand the play. Examples of dramatic
conventions we must accept:
– the convention of time and space--a
presentation of scenes years apart compressed
into two hours; also one scene occurring in a
living room and the next scene in a bar.
– Asides
– Soliloquies
Antigone
by Sophocles
• Where is your ultimate loyalty? Rank these
areas in terms of importance:
Loyalty to family
Obedience to civil law
Protection of nation
Protection of personal dignity
Why did you chose this rank?
• How do we determine personal loyalties?
• In what situation would you defend these
loyalties?
• Have you ever experienced a friction
between what the law or country tells you to
do, and what you feel is right?