Virgil's Aeneid
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The Ancient Greek Dramatic Arts M. Kubus Drama = “to do” or “to perform” Theatre = “seeing place” The Origins of Drama dithyrambs = hymns sung to Dionysus Traditionally it’s Thespis who began reading as if he were a character, becoming the world’s first actor as we know it (protagonist) Aeschylus adds deuteragonist Sophocles, the triagonist And now we have a play as we understand it The Festival of Dionysus Annual state religious festival that would take place in late March / early April Contest between three playwrights (three tragedies + satyr play) Choral parts were sung Actors were male Actors wore masks CHOROS = “dance in a ring” strophe, antistrophe, epode orchestra (dancing floor) Theatre acoustics Slopes of Mt Parnassus, above the Temple of Apollo at Delphi Tragedy (1) Depicts the downfall of a noble hero or heroine, usually through some combination of (a) hubris (b) fate (c) the will of the gods (2) There’s a tragic hero who has a flaw and makes some sort of mistake (hamartia). (3) The hero need not die, but he must undergo a change in fortune (peripeteia). (4) The tragic hero may achieve some sort of revelation or recognition (anagnorisis) about human fate, destiny, or the will of the gods. Device that carries the tragedy: DRAMATIC IRONY So why is it so alluring? Why are we interested? Catharsis Tragic Playwrights Sophocles Aeschylus Euripides Tragedy and its structure Structure of the play Prologue Parodos – entry of the chorus Episode Stasimon – extended song of the chorus Exodos – final scene of the play drama = to do, to perform tragedy (tragoedia) = goat song (satyrs) arete = excellence hubris = overweening pride; arrogance hamartia = mistake, error in logic acrasia = imbalance, weakness of will peripeteia = reversal of fortune catastrophe = final event or conclusion, misfortune, mishap catharsis = to purge one’s emotions anagnorisis - recognition The Theban Legend .