The Theater of The Theater of Ancient GreeceAncient Greece

An introduction to An introduction to Oedipus Oedipus RexRex

Virtually everything we Virtually everything we know of today’s theaterknow of today’s theater—script, stage, acting —script, stage, acting techniques---traces its techniques---traces its heritage to the Golden heritage to the Golden

Age of GreeceAge of Greece

Drama is defined as…Drama is defined as… the acting out of the acting out of

basic human emotions basic human emotions and conflicts by actors and conflicts by actors on a stage before an on a stage before an

audience.audience.

Some Some thoughts on thoughts on tragedy….tragedy….

““We participate in We participate in tragedy. At comedy, we tragedy. At comedy, we

only look.”only look.”

---Aldous Huxley---Aldous Huxley

““Tragedy is more important than Tragedy is more important than love. Out of all human events, it love. Out of all human events, it

is tragedy alone that brings is tragedy alone that brings people out of their petty desires people out of their petty desires

and into awareness of other and into awareness of other humans’ suffering. Tragedy humans’ suffering. Tragedy

occurs in human lives so that we occurs in human lives so that we will learn to reach out and will learn to reach out and

comfort others”comfort others”---C.S. Lewis---C.S. Lewis

““If a single person dies If a single person dies in front of you, it is a in front of you, it is a tragedy. If a million tragedy. If a million

people die on the other people die on the other side of the earth, it is a side of the earth, it is a

statistic.”statistic.”

---Josef Stalin---Josef Stalin

““I’ve never thought of my I’ve never thought of my characters as being sad. characters as being sad. On the contrary, they are On the contrary, they are

full of life. They didn’t full of life. They didn’t choose tragedy. Tragedy choose tragedy. Tragedy

chose them.”chose them.”

---Juliette Binoche---Juliette Binoche

““Destiny has two Destiny has two ways of crushing us– ways of crushing us–

by refusing our by refusing our wishes and by wishes and by fulfilling us.”fulfilling us.”

---Henri Frederic ---Henri Frederic AmielAmiel

““What makes tragedy so What makes tragedy so tragic is not that the tragic is not that the noble individual falls noble individual falls

into ruin, but that his fall into ruin, but that his fall causes so much causes so much

suffering in others.”suffering in others.”

---Charmezel Dudt---Charmezel Dudt

What is critical to understanding What is critical to understanding the play the play Oedipus RexOedipus Rex??

It is representative of Athenian tragedy of fifth It is representative of Athenian tragedy of fifth century, B.C.century, B.C.

It evolved from a ritualistic art formIt evolved from a ritualistic art form

Physical characteristics of the Greek theater itself Physical characteristics of the Greek theater itself imposed restrictions imposed restrictions

Many modern conventions of performance began Many modern conventions of performance began with Greek Theaterwith Greek Theater

Oedipus RexOedipus Rex fits the Aristotelian definition of the fits the Aristotelian definition of the perfect tragedyperfect tragedy

Origins in Religious RitualOrigins in Religious Ritual

Greek drama is Greek drama is tied directly to tied directly to religious rituals religious rituals in which the in which the gods often gods often appeared as appeared as characters in the characters in the play, play, determining the determining the fate of mankind fate of mankind and reflecting and reflecting religious beliefsreligious beliefs

Origins in Religious RitualOrigins in Religious Ritual

These performances These performances were so significant were so significant that the that the government of government of Greece suspended Greece suspended business and daily business and daily activities for the activities for the week long festivals week long festivals in honor of the in honor of the Greek god DionysusGreek god Dionysus

Convention of 5Convention of 5thth Century Century Athenian TheaterAthenian Theater

Celebrated Celebrated kings and kings and heroes often heroes often became became protagonists protagonists in the playsin the plays

Physical Characteristics of Greek Physical Characteristics of Greek Theater Imposed RestrictionsTheater Imposed Restrictions

The theater The theater accommodated at accommodated at least 15,000 least 15,000 people—all the people—all the citizens—creating citizens—creating poor acoustics and poor acoustics and vision problems for vision problems for those in the backthose in the back

Why they wore masks…Why they wore masks…

As a result , actors As a result , actors wore masks with wore masks with “megaphones” to “megaphones” to project their voices. project their voices. The masks also The masks also were exaggerated were exaggerated expressions for expressions for those seated far those seated far back. Masks also back. Masks also allowed actors to allowed actors to change roles change roles quickly and easily.quickly and easily.

Here are some examples of Here are some examples of Masks…Masks…

Modern symbol for dramaModern symbol for drama

The masks represent The masks represent

Tragedy and ComedyTragedy and Comedy

The audience sat on benches in The audience sat on benches in the the theatrontheatron, “the seeing , “the seeing

place.”place.”

The rectangular building with three The rectangular building with three doors, called the doors, called the skene skene (“scene”), (“scene”),

served as the general backdrop for the served as the general backdrop for the action as well as an area for the actors action as well as an area for the actors to change costumes, masks, and rolesto change costumes, masks, and roles

Lighting RestrictionsLighting Restrictions

All plays were All plays were performed during performed during the day because the day because lighting was not lighting was not available at night. available at night. Performances Performances tended to last from tended to last from dawn ‘til dusk.dawn ‘til dusk.

Other restrictions…Other restrictions…

A lack of painted A lack of painted scenery and the scenery and the passage of time in passage of time in the performance the performance had to be indicated had to be indicated through character through character lines or the chorus.lines or the chorus.

Parados (“parade”)Parados (“parade”)

The chorus was The chorus was made up of nearly made up of nearly fifty citizens. The fifty citizens. The chorus would chorus would enter in the enter in the beginning or beginning or paradosparados chanting chanting and relating the and relating the theme or conflict theme or conflict of the playof the play

The Function of the ChorusThe Function of the Chorus

Create psychological Create psychological and emotional and emotional background to the background to the actionaction

Introduce and Introduce and question new question new characterscharacters

Point out significant Point out significant events as they occurevents as they occur

Establish facts and Establish facts and affirm the outlook of affirm the outlook of societysociety

Modern Conventions from Modern Conventions from Ancient GreeceAncient Greece

Thespis, the first Thespis, the first actor, stepped actor, stepped from among from among the ranks of the ranks of the chorus to the chorus to speak lines AS speak lines AS A GOD rather A GOD rather than lines than lines ABOUT A GOD. ABOUT A GOD.

Beginning of dialogueBeginning of dialogue

Thus, the Thus, the concept of concept of dialoguedialogue began began with with playwrights playwrights generating generating interactive lines interactive lines between actor between actor and chorusand chorus

Introduction of the second Introduction of the second actoractor

Aeschylus, the Aeschylus, the earliest of the earliest of the three great three great tragedians, tragedians, introduced the introduced the second actor. This second actor. This allowed another allowed another direction for direction for dialogue. dialogue.

Introduction of the third actorIntroduction of the third actor

Sophocles, the Sophocles, the second of the three second of the three great tragedians, great tragedians, introduced the introduced the third actor, the third actor, the most actors ever to most actors ever to appear on the appear on the stage together in stage together in Greek drama.Greek drama.

Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripedes…Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripedes…the three greatest tragediansthe three greatest tragedians

Both Aeschylus Both Aeschylus and Euripedes, and Euripedes, the third and the third and latest of the latest of the great Athenian great Athenian tragedians, tragedians, also employed also employed the third actor.the third actor.

CostumingCostuming

Costumes were Costumes were designed to make designed to make the actors appear the actors appear larger than life to larger than life to help an audience help an audience see them from a see them from a distance and to distance and to elevate the status elevate the status of their rolesof their roles

CostumingCostumingOften the costumes Often the costumes

were oversized were oversized and and cumbersome, cumbersome, preventing a lot preventing a lot of movement. A of movement. A declamatory declamatory style of acting style of acting helped helped accommodate accommodate the actor’s lack the actor’s lack of mobilityof mobility

Rhetorical TechniqueRhetorical Technique

A rhetorical A rhetorical tradition of the tradition of the period was seen period was seen in lengthy in lengthy monologues and monologues and stichomythic stichomythic dialogue between dialogue between two characters two characters essentially in a essentially in a debate.debate.

Structure of Greek DramaStructure of Greek Drama

1.1. ProloguePrologue the opening scene where the the opening scene where the background of the story is establishedbackground of the story is established

2.2. ParodosParodos chorus enters with chants chorus enters with chants relating to the theme or an extreme relating to the theme or an extreme situation situation

3.3. EpisodeEpisode plot is developed much like a plot is developed much like a modern Act or scenemodern Act or scene

4.4. StasimanStasiman at the end of each episode, at the end of each episode, the chorus expresses viewsthe chorus expresses views

5.5. ExodusExodus final action final action

Dramatic Conventions of Dramatic Conventions of Greek TragedyGreek Tragedy

1.1. Continuous presence of the chorus Continuous presence of the chorus after the prologue; no intermissionsafter the prologue; no intermissions

2.2. No interior scenes No interior scenes

3.3. No lighting effectsNo lighting effects

4.4. No acts of violence before the No acts of violence before the audienceaudience

5.5. Mythical subjectsMythical subjects

6.6. Male actors only with masksMale actors only with masks

7.7. Dialogue in stichomythiaDialogue in stichomythia

8.8. Frequent use of a messengerFrequent use of a messenger

9.9. Uses of machine- deus ex machinaUses of machine- deus ex machina

10.10. Dramatic unities sometimesDramatic unities sometimes

AristotleAristotle Pupil of PlatoPupil of Plato Teacher to Teacher to

Alexander the GreatAlexander the Great Photographic Photographic

memorymemory Scientific in thoughtScientific in thought Famous for his Famous for his

views on views on TRAGEDYTRAGEDY, , mathematics, and mathematics, and deductive logicdeductive logic

The PoeticsThe Poetics

Aristotle first proposed how tragedy Aristotle first proposed how tragedy works…works…

a.a. Unity of ActionUnity of Action: : nothing happens nothing happens that does not in some way that does not in some way specifically advance the action specifically advance the action forwardforward

b.b. Unity of SettingUnity of Setting: : all of the action all of the action occurs in one geographical locationoccurs in one geographical location

c.c. Unity of TimeUnity of Time: : all events occur within all events occur within a single daya single day

Aristotelian UnitiesAristotelian Unities

Oedipus RexOedipus Rex is an example of what are now is an example of what are now referred to as Aristotelian Unitiesreferred to as Aristotelian Unities

Adherence to these tenets of unity Adherence to these tenets of unity makes for the taut, spare austerity makes for the taut, spare austerity we have come to associate with we have come to associate with Greek tragedy.Greek tragedy.

Characteristics of Sophoclean Characteristics of Sophoclean TragedyTragedy

Based on an event Based on an event that already took that already took place and which the place and which the audience is familiaraudience is familiar

The protagonist is of The protagonist is of noble staturenoble stature

The protagonist has a The protagonist has a weakness, and weakness, and because of it, because of it, becomes isolated and becomes isolated and suffers a downfallsuffers a downfall

The audience may pity The audience may pity the protagonist the protagonist because the downfall because the downfall is not entirely his faultis not entirely his fault

The fallen protagonist The fallen protagonist gains self knowledgegains self knowledge

The audience The audience undergoes a catharsis, undergoes a catharsis, a purging of emotions, a purging of emotions, after experiencing after experiencing pity, fear, shock and pity, fear, shock and other strong emotions. other strong emotions. The people go away The people go away feeling betterfeeling better

The drama usually The drama usually unfolds in one place unfolds in one place and in one dayand in one day

Themes in Oedipus RexThemes in Oedipus Rex

Fate punishes the proud and insolent with Fate punishes the proud and insolent with an ironic outcome that is terriblean ironic outcome that is terrible

The bigger they are, the harder they fallThe bigger they are, the harder they fall

The Purpose and Effect of The Purpose and Effect of TragedyTragedy

Emphasizes human suffering

Ends with rigid Ends with rigid finalityfinality

Moves with solemnity and foreboding

Emotional response Emotional response of pity and fearof pity and fear

Laments man’s fate

Identification with Identification with the herothe hero

Criticizes hubris, self delusion, and complacency

Offers some HOPE Offers some HOPE (man can learn), (man can learn), but stresses the but stresses the limitations of the limitations of the human conditionhuman condition

The Tragic StruggleThe Tragic Struggle

Serious and painful Serious and painful strugglestruggle

Struggle against Struggle against the unchangeablethe unchangeable

Discovery of true Discovery of true nature leads to nature leads to hero’s isolationhero’s isolation

Struggle between Struggle between man and destinyman and destiny

Life and societal Life and societal norms are at oddsnorms are at odds

Struggle is Struggle is dominated by fatedominated by fate

Struggle against Struggle against predictable and predictable and inevitableinevitable

Struggle with Struggle with forces beyond forces beyond man’s controlman’s control

Tragic MethodsTragic Methods

Tragedy Tragedy depends upon depends upon the validity of the validity of universal universal normsnorms

Coherence in Coherence in the episodesthe episodes

Plot moves Plot moves from freedom from freedom of choice to of choice to inflexible inflexible consequencesconsequences

Causality Causality dominates dominates pattern of (a) pattern of (a) deed, which deed, which leads to (b) leads to (b) suffering, which suffering, which leads to (c) leads to (c) recognition or recognition or understandingunderstanding