1 / 19

Theater

Theater. Chapter 7. Major Tragic and Serious plays in theater history. Stone stadium, plays shown once during a festival Masks, all men actors, sing and dance to hymns of the gods No violence, based on myth Larger than life, exaggerated.

denna
Télécharger la présentation

Theater

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Theater Chapter 7

  2. Major Tragic and Serious plays in theater history • Stone stadium, plays shown once during a festival • Masks, all men actors, sing and dance to hymns of the gods • No violence, based on myth • Larger than life, exaggerated • Audience stands or sits near the stage, available year-round • Men play all parts • Violence on stage • Histories, but also comedies and tragedies (not tied to universal themes) • More naturalistic settings/movements Greek Classical Theater (Sophocles) Elizabethan Theater (Shakespeare)

  3. Both Genres… • Include a “recognition scene”-moment where protagonist fully understands what has brought about the disaster • Use elevated language

  4. Aristotle on the Nature of tragedy • Ideal protagonist is mainly virtuous with a fatal flaw • Tragedy requires audience identification with the character • The aim is to stimulate an emotional response not for the sake of the emotion, but for the aftermath of the emotion: the calm that follows (catharsis)

  5. Neoclassical Tragedy • Neoclassicism-return to classical styles of balance and order • Upper class patrons, wanted less violent and sensational works • Women appear on stage • Move away from passion, to harmony and order

  6. Victorian era • Prosperous middle class wanted to see their own lives and times portrayed as they were (contemporary themes and characters) • Audience sits in dark, watches scene where actors do not “know” they are being watched (4th wall) • Still formal language, time passage explained in the program

  7. A “Well-made” play • All characters mentioned in act 1 must be important later on • All scenery must be used (chairs sat in, lamps turned on, doors opened) • Nothing is wasted as everything advances the plot • Exposition is important-revelation of necessary background information

  8. Modern genres and conventions • Expressionism- sets were not realistic, but symbolic • “Our Town” narrator creates a small New Hampshire village in the audience’s mind with minimal props

  9. Modern Tragedy • Classic and Elizabethan tragedy focused on the fall of the aristocracy • Led to ordinary people as the protagonists • Buchner-(expressionism) non-realistic settings and abandoned naturalistic dialogue. Pessimistic, society is what creates tragedy, not a flaw • Miller- Death of a Salesman- cannot admit his failures, commits suicide hoping son will invest the insurance money. Wanted a character that Americans could identify with-hardworking but understands human weakness

  10. Comparision • Hero is innocent and beset by problems from outside forces • No huge demands on the mind • Suspenseful, but know it will work out in the end • Protagonist is mainly virtuous but not totally innocent • Raises moral and philosophical questions • Sad ending, but cathartic Melodrama Tragedy

  11. Deus Ex machina (the god from a machine) • From the Greeks, at the end of a play an actor would play a god and straighten everything out • Now used to describe any plot contrivance that violates the probabilities of human behavior • Expedient but implausible resolution ex: bolt of lightening kills the evil doer right before the gun goes off

  12. Satire • Specific kind of comedy that ridicules corruption, inequality, war as a solution, injustice and hypocrisy. • Gets audience to laugh AND want to change • First World Problems

  13. Comedy of Character • Shakespeare • Uses psychology • Use of subtext to Explain their thoughts • Allows characters to “live”

  14. Farce Genre of comedy that draws laughter from outragoues physical actions and improbably chaotic situations. Superficial characters Famous Farce Authors: Moliere, Wycherley, Oscar Wilde

  15. Parody • Makes fun of a particular work or genre • Modeled after works that the author finds to be unjustifiably successful • Family Guy • South Park • Weird Al • Scary Movie

  16. Theater of Ideas • During Victorian Period would attempt the raise the consciousness of the audience • Ibsen- A Doll’s House, examines hypocracy • Shaw-Pygmalion, attacked rigidity of the class system

  17. Naturalism • Attempt to show life as it really was • Premise: this is life, this is human nature, it’s all there is

  18. Common themes in modern theater • Family-tragedy, emotional intensity from bitter confrontation between family members • Racial Tension- describes prejudice and its destructive effects • Raisin in the Sun • Gay Rights, Political Corruption, decline of family, deterioration of environment

  19. 2 schools of thought • Designed to prevent audience from identifying too strongly with characters • Worry they would miss the point otherwise • Want audience to absorb the message • Achieved through pulverizing the viewer’s emotions through shocking scenes • One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Theater of Alienation Theater of Cruelty

More Related