Greek Drama Flashcards
0
Q
Tragedy
A
- From Greek trajos
- Meant goat, blend of ode and goat (goat sacred to Dionysus)
- Trygos (grape harvest)
1
Q
Thespis (535 BC)
A
- Introduced 1st actor, before him was rhetoric
- Actor had dialogue with Chorus
2
Q
Setting
A
- Golden Age of Greece, zenith of arts
- Democracy (unity, peace)
- Beliefs in perfection if state, utopia
- Moral shift to individualism
3
Q
Themes:
-Values
A
- Man’s dignity/individual responsibility
- Problems of evil
- Conflicts of duty
- Man’s sacred survival under stress, purpose/lessons derived from it
4
Q
Citizen Involvement in Theater
A
- Greek, educated men only
- Drama was part of education, required to rotate through Chorus
5
Q
Theatrical Conventions:
- Role of Chorus
- Choragos
- Messenger
- Dramatic Unities
A
- Commented on action of play. Provide citizen opinion
- Leader of cue Chorus, wealthy citizen funding play
- Told offstage events
6
Q
Dramatic Structure
A
- Comprised of 5 acts:
- Prologue (set scene)
- Parados (chorus enters and gives perspective)
- Episodia (scene)
- Strophe (Chorus’ ode, turns)
- Anti (responds to strophe)
- Epod (3rd comment)
- Exodus (finale)
7
Q
Aeschylus
A
- Founder of Greek tragedy
- Added second actor
- Themes: Ties of family, blood, guilt
8
Q
Sophocles (496-406 BC)
A
- Oedipus, Antigone
- Added 3rd character
- Themes: human suffering, fate vs. free will, societal conventions vs. internal beliefs
- Portrayed people as they ought to be
- Successful statesman, general, dramatist, etc.
9
Q
Tragic Irony
A
-Means one thing to character, audience knows otherwise
10
Q
Euripides (480-406 BC)
A
- Humble beginnings, well know and wealthy later in life
- Depicted people as they are (born in shift to rationalize/doubt), focused on women
- Themes: Uncertainty of moral values, human weakness, dear
11
Q
Aristotle (320 BC)
A
-Philosophy: A tragedy is an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude strong enough to arouse pain and fear (catharsis).
