Name: _____________________________________________ Period: _______ Date: _______________
Ancient Greek Theater Webquest
Answer all questions on this handout. Use additional paper if necessary.
I. ORIGINS
http://www.slideshare.net/anagrahernandez/greek-theatre-15831361
Click through the slideshow to answer the following questions:
a) What is a dithyramb?
b) Explain the Greek origins of these English words:
1. drama
2. theatre
3. orchestra
c) The Greek god Dionysus was the son of _____________. He was thought to be the god of
_______________________________________ and he was seen as a patron of ________________.
d) When were the first City Dionysia Festivals begun?
e) Who was Thespis?
www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/LX/GreekTheater.html
f) What city was at the centre of ancient Greek theatre?
g) What kind of theatre developed out of dithyrambs ?
h) Why is Thespis considered the first “actor”?
II. TRAGEDY
http://tinyurl.com/tragichero11
i) According to Aristotle, what is a tragic hero?
www.cwu.edu/~robinsos/ppages/resources/Theatre_History/Theahis_2.html
j) Who did what in early tragedies? How did this change?
k) What were most tragedies based on, and what were they about?
http://tinyurl.com/aristotletragedy
l) According to Aristotle, what is the purpose of tragedy?
m) What does “catharsis” mean?
III. THEATRE AND ACTORS
http://academic.reed.edu/humanities/110tech/theater.html#Theaters
n) Describe the earliest Greek theatres.
o) Where would the chorus stand? How about the actors?
p) Make a diagram of a Greek theatre and label the different parts.
q) Where did the audience sit?
http://theatrehistory.com/ancient/bates016.html
r) How were the Greek theatres built? Describe their construction.
http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/interactives/greece/theater/playersProps.html
s) Why did actors wear masks?
t) Name four items of costume that might be worn by actors.
u) What function did the costumes serve?
v) What else might be used by an actor to reveal a character? Give one example.
w) What is a “mechane” or “krane”?
IV. CONCLUSION
x) Based on what you have learned, what remnants of Greek drama can you still see in modern society?
If you have finished everything, go to http://artsedge.kennedycenter.org/interactives/greece/theater/stageTragedy.html and create your own Greek Tragedy