Lecture 17- Theatre History

Question 1

Who wrote Poetics and what was it a response to?

Answer 1

Aristotle, in response to Plato’s “the republic”

Question 2

Define catharsis

Answer 2

The purging of pity and fear

Question 3

Who wrote Oedipus Rex?

Answer 3

Euripedes

Question 4

Five parts of Horace’s art of poetry

Answer 4

1. Poetry must instruct and delight
2. Decorum
3. Appropriateness of style and subject
4. Denounced flowery language
5. Verisimilitude

Question 5

Define closet drama

Answer 5

Plays written primarily as literature, not for performance

Question 6

Difference between Morality plays and Cycle plays.

Answer 6

Morality plays- utilized allegorical characters to teach a lesson

Cycle plays- many small plays presented in a precession to celebrate Corpus Christi that depict the timeline of human history in the context of religion.

Question 7

What are the three unities observed by the neoclassical movement

Answer 7

1. Action- 1 plot
2. Time- 24 hours
3. Place- 1 setting or settings you can reach within 25 hours

Question 8

Who was Christopher Marlowe

Answer 8

Died at 29, rumored to be an atheist and a spy for the queen.
Disagree about the exact order his play were written

Question 9

What/who were the University Wits?

Answer 9

Group of university educated playwrights in England

Question 10

What was the City Dionysus festival?

Answer 10

Contest for best tragedy presented at the festival

5 day festival