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Two Ancient Ethnographic Notes from Drama

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Two Ancient Ethnographic Notes from Drama Durham E-Theses Social memory and ethnic identity: ancient Greek drama performances as commemorative ceremonies Lalioti, Vassiliki How to cite: Lalioti, Vassiliki (2001) Social memory and ethnic identity: ancient Greek drama performances as commemorative ceremonies, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/3850/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 Social Memory and Ethnic Identity: Ancient Greek Drama Performance§ a§ Commemorative Ceremonies Vassiliki Lalioti Submitted for Ph.D. Degree 2001 ABSTRACT This thesis is an ethnographic account of ancient Greek drama performances that take place in contemporary Greece. It illuminates an aspect of them that has not been taken into account until today: it treats them as commemorative ceremonies that produce, reproduce, and transmit social memory. The interrelation and interdependence between social memory and ethnic identity construction processes are analysed and it is shown that ancient drama performances, due to specific characteristics, constitute something more than mere theatrical events (as they are defined within the Western tradition). These performances, convey, sustain, and transmit from one generation to the next, perceptions of a glorious culture of the past, and become, for its creators and spectators, occasions for celebrating and remembering their ethnic past. §o(l!hllll M~morry mllDdl Etllmi~ Idi~I!Dtncy: Ancient Grreelk. Drama Performances as Commemorative Ceremonies Vassiliki Lalioti The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published in any form, including Electronic and the Internet, without the author's prior written consent. All information derived from this thesis must be acknowledged appropriately. Submitted for Ph.D. Degree in Social Anthropology in the University of Durham, Anthropology Department Research Conducted in the Anthropology Department 2001 2 ACKNOWJLJEDGMJEN11'§ My wannest thanks to the members of the theatrical groups of the National Theatre of Greece and of the Theatro Tehnis, and to Manthos for introducing me to their world. I am very grateful to my supervisor, Professor Paul Sant Cassia, for his support, his critical comments, and for helping me to say more clearly what I wanted to say. I owe a special debt of thanks to Dr. Anna Zarkada for making my texts readable, and to my mother and husband for their support. 3 CONTENTS Abstract ........................................................................................ ! Acknowledgements ........................................................................ 3 CONTENTS ................................................................................. 4-9 List ofpictures .............................................................................. 10 INTRODUCTORY REMARKS ................................................... 11-17 CHAPTER 1 ETHNIC IDENTITY AND THE NOTION OF 'CONTINUITY' INTRODUCTION ....................................................................... 18-19 1.1. GENERAL THEORETICAL ISSUES .......................................... 19-20 l.l.a. Ethnic Identity as a Natural Phenomenon .............................. 20-21 l.l.b. Selectivity and Authenticity .............................................. 21-22 !.I.e. The Conception of Time ................................................... 22-23 l.l.d. The Role of History ............................................................ 23 !.I.e. Ethnic Boundaries .............................................................. 24 1.2. CONTINUITY AND GREEK ETHNIC IDENTITY ........................... .. 25 1.2.a. An Historical Account ..................................................... 25-29 1.2.b. Folk Tradition and Continuity ............................................ 29-31 1.2.c. Continuity and Identity ....................................................... .31 1.2.c.a. 'Us' and the 'Others' ............................................. 31-33 1.2.c.b.Greece and Europe ................................................33-35 4 CONCLUSIONS ......................................................................... 35-37 CHAPTER 2 FIELDWORK AND RELATED METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES INTRODUCTION ........................................................................... 38 2.1. RESEARCH DESIGN................................................................ 38 2.l.a. Choice of the Topic ....................................................... 38-40 2.1.b. Sites and Methods ........................................................ .40-42 2.2. COLLECTING THE DATA .......................................................... .42 2.2.a. Participant Observation- Entering the Field .......................... .42-43 2.2.b. Phases of Participant Observation ...................................... .44-48 2.2.c. Informants- Interviews .................................................. .48-51 2.2.d. Field Notes ...................................................................... 51 2.2.e. Fieldwork at Home ......................................................... 51-53 2.3. WRITING UP THE ETHNOGRAPHIC TEXT.............................. 53-54 CONCLUSIONS .............................................................................. 55 CHAPTER 3 FRAMEWORKS INTRODUCTION .......................................................................56-57 3.1. A BRIEF HISTORY OF ANCIENT DRAMA PERFORMANCES .......... 57 3.1.a. The Rediscovery ............................................................ 57-60 3.1.b. 'Deljikes Eortes' .. .......................................................... 60-64 3.l.c. The Festival of Epidavros ................................................. 65-68 5 3.2. ELEMENTS OF ANA TIONAL POLICY ON ANCIENT THEATRE .. ...... 68 3.2.a. General Re1narks ........................................................... 68-70 3.2.b. Drama Schools ............................................................. 70-72 3.2.c. Culture and Tourism ....................................................... 72-75 3.2.d. Monuments Preservation .................................................. 75-78 3.3. THE THEATRES ....................................................................... 78 3.3.a. The National Theatre of Greece .......................................... 78-80 3.3.b. Theatro Tehnis .............................................................. 80-81 CONCLUSIONS .............................................................................. 82 CHAPTER 4 GROUPS, REHEARSALS, PERFORMANCES: ETHNOGRAPHIC NOTES FROM TWO ANCIENT DRAMA PERFORMANCES IN ATHENS INTRODUCTION ........................................................................... 83 4.1. THE PLAYS ........................................................................ 83-86 4.2. THE COMPOSITION OF THE GROUP ...................................... 86-92 4.2.a. Inter-group Relations ...................................................... 92-99 4.3. THE REHEARSALS ................................................................... 99 4.3.a. The Performance Requirements ........................................99-1 01 4.3.b. The Rehearsing Process ................................................ 101-107 4.4. THE PERFORMANCES ........................................................... 107 4.4.a. An Evening in Epidavros .............................................. 108-121 4.4.b. A Performance of Orestis .............................................. 122-129 4.5. THE ROLE OF THE AUDIL!.JVCE ................................................ 129 4.5.a. General Remarks ........................................................ 129-130 6 4.5.b. Reception ofthe Performances ........................................ 130-132 4.5.c. Variations on an Audience ............................................. 132-134 4.5.d. What an Audience Expects from an Ancient Drama Performance .............................................................. 134-13 7 CONCLUSIONS ........................................................................... 137 CHAPTERS TIME AND SPACE IN ANCIENT GREEK DRAMA PERFORMANCES: ETHNOGRAPHIC NOTES ON 'US' AND THE 'OTHERS' INTRODUCTION .................................................................... 138-139 5.1. TIMEANDSPAC£ .................................................................. 139 5.1.a. Time ....................................................................... 139-140 5 .1.b. Rhetoric on Time ........................................................ 140-142 5.1.c. Space ..................................................................... 142-143 5.1 .d. Rhetoric on Space ............................................................. 14 3 5.l.dl. 'de os' and 'magia' ............................................. 143-145 5.l.d2. 'deos' and the past ............................................
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