Antigone and the Greek theater

1. Antigone and the Greek theater

2. Thebes, Greece

4. The sons shall suffer for the sins of the father Greek tragedies: • Based on suffering of great families, usually mythological • Focus on a hero/heroine whose fortunes decline from good to bad because of the Fates or human nature • Must arouse emotions of pity and fear in the audience • Consists of a plot, characters, thought, diction, spectacle, song • One person’s fate symbolizes that of all people • Tragedy centers on an individual –the protagonist or hero/heroine • Death of a main character is not necessary, but tragedy requires at least the recognition of mortality Greenbay.net/oedipus

5. The Oracle • The Greeks believed their gods (Apollo) spoke through the Oracle • Oracles were almost always female and known as the sibyl or the Pythia • The Oracles would breathe the fumes from the cracks in the earth and fall into a trance allowing Apollo to possess her spirit. She would then prophesize. The priests of the temple would translate these trances for the people. “It has been postulated that a gas high in ethylene, known to produce violent trances, came out of this opening, though this theory remains debatable” (Pollitt)

6. Conditions of Greek Theatre • Drama is written in poetry • Episodes containing dialogue are interspersed with shorter sections of more complicated matter—these poems are usually sung by the chorus • Chorus comments on choices and or conflicts of the characters; often interprets and foreshadows • male performers only! • limited number of actors portray all characters • use of masks Greecebytaxi.com

7. Greek tragedy is short, strong, clear, restrained, controlled • Hero has high status, rises to an even higher status by power of his own character. • Hero falls due to his on foolishness (hubris) and fateful circumstances • Good comes from the tragedies, at least for the audience who views it (catharsis). Themindperspective.com

8. The god of wine and dance • Greek tragedy is a way to celebrate the culture of Dionysus, the god of wine • All citizens were expected to participate– it was their civic duty • Tragedy was a two week public event (prisoners, too!) • Festivals of Dionysus: sort of ancient Mardi Gras Bacchus, by Caravaggio

9. Important terms: • Hubris: arrogance, unbridled ambition • Ethos: a man’s “character” as formed by inheritance, habit, and self-discipline • Pathos: man’s spontaneous reaction to experiences in the external world

10. 5th century greatness There were two fundamental forces in Greek thought and expression: • Anxiety prompted by the apparent irrationality of experience • the drive to allay this anxiety by finding an order which explains experience (5) • Classical era: -Characterized by art which expresses the triumph of human civilization-- -and adherence to order which it required--over unthinking barbarism (35) Llsu.org

11. Women in Ancient Greece • Considered second class citizens • Responsible for domestic duties • No political power– only social • Irony: (when the expected outcome is the opposite of what actually happens) • Creon is astonished that a woman dares to override his decree.