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GREEK THEATER

GREEK THEATER. Background Information for “Antigone”. PURPOSE OF GREEK DRAMA. Dramas presented by the state at annual religious festivals.

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GREEK THEATER

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  1. GREEK THEATER Background Information for “Antigone”

  2. PURPOSE OF GREEK DRAMA • Dramas presented by the state at annual religious festivals. • Plays were supposed to be presented for the purpose of ethical and moral improvement of the spectators and to ensure the spiritual survival of the community. • Winners of prizes were selected by ten citizens chosen by lots for the duty.

  3. MECHANICS OF GREEK DRAMA • Actors were all male. They wore masks. • Scenes of the drama were always outdoors; indoor actions were reported by messengers. • There was no violence on stage • There was “unity” in plot -- no subplots or irrelevancies. • The action always took place in one day. • There were no curtains or intermissions.

  4. CHORUS IN GREEK DRAMA • The function of the chorus was to : • set the mood of the drama • interpret events • relieve the tension • generalize meaning of the action • converse with and give advice to the actors • give background information • emphasize the beauty of poetry and dancing • leader acted as spokesman for the group

  5. SUBJECT OF PLAYS • The subject was almost exclusively taken from well-known myths. • The plays explored the mysteries of life and the role of the gods in human affairs. • The main purpose was ethical and religious instruction.

  6. STYLE IN PLAYS • There are long, wordy speeches (sometimes about current events or contemporary people).

  7. MESSAGE FROM TRAGEDIES • Out of great tragedy comes wisdom.

  8. CONCEPT OF TRAGIC HERO AND TRAGEDY (from Aristotle) • Tragedy arouses the emotions of pity, fear, wonder and awe. • A tragic hero must be a man or woman capable of great suffering. • Tragedy explores the question of the ways of God to man. • Tragedy purifies the emotions (catharsis) • Tragedy shows how man is brought to disaster by a single flaw in his own character.

  9. Antigone The Story Behind the Story

  10. The Myth of Oedipus • Laius (King of Thebes) and Jocasta (Queen) conceive a child. • Laius consults the Oracle at Delphi for a prediction of the future • The Oracle predicts that a son born to Laius and Jocasta will kill his father and marry his mother.

  11. Unbelievable • When the son is born, Laius and Jocasta attempt to avert their fates: • They drive a rivet into the child’s ankles • They give the child to a servant and instruct him to abandon the baby on Mt. Cithaeron.

  12. A Guilty Conscience intervenes • The servant cannot abandon the child to die, so he gives the child to a shepherd who carries it to Corinth. • The child is raised by the King and Queen of Corinth, who name the baby Oedipus (means “swollen foot”). • When Oedipus is a young man, he begins to think “I need a life…” • He consults the Oracle.

  13. Fate Averted Again (or not) • Oedipus leaves Corinth to avoid his awful fate. • On the journey, he meets a man who rudely forces him from the road. • In retaliation, Oedipus pulls the man from his chariot and kills him.

  14. Oedipus Travels to Thebes… • Thebes is under seige of the Sphinx. • Oedipus saves the day. • Oedipus receives the throne of Thebes (the Queen is the bonus). • All goes well for 20 years.

  15. Where Antigone Comes In… • Antigone is the daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta • She has three siblings: • Ismene, sister • Polyneices, brother • Eteocles, brother • Antigone, Ismene live with their uncle, Creon, King of Thebes

  16. Prior to the Story of Antigone (before the play opens) • In a fight for control of the throne of Thebes, Eteocles and Polyneices kill each other on the field of battle. • Because Polyneices raised an army against Thebes, Creon brands him a traitor. • He accords Eteocles full burial honors; but not Polyneices…

  17. The Characters of the Drama • Antigone (daughter of Oedipus) • Ismene (her sister) • Creon (their uncle, the brother of Jocasta) • Eurydice (your-id-i-see) wife of Creon • Haimon (son of Creon & Eurydice) • Teiresias (Tie-ree-see-as) a blind prophet

  18. Conclusion • Thank You • Have a nice day

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