lesson 6- the origins of tragedy Flashcards
what evidence do we have for the origins of tragedy?
They are shrouded in mystery. From the late seventh century, there are a number of vase paintings which are suggesting of links to drama, but we have no surviving dramatic text before aeschylus’ persians of 472 BC. one source gives us 534 as the date when tragedy was first performed at the great dionysia
what is the earliest surviving dramatic text?
Aeschylus’ persians of 472 BC
what does one source give us as the date when tragedy was first performed at the city Dionysia festival?
534 BCE
what problems do we have with evidence and our understanding of the origins of tragedy?
there is lack of evidence and doubtful reliability of sources that comment on the origins of tragedy
Why do we have to be cautious of Aristotle’s poetics as a source?
The most influential surviving ancient text on the development of drama is treatise poetics by aristotle. However, it is hard to know how reliable aristotle is as a source for events which happened up to two centuries earlier- Aristotle is writing about events two centuries before him and writing them in his own style- unreliable
According to ancient sources when and how did drama get started in Athens?
The birth of drama took place during the second half of the sixth century when the city was ruled by the tyrant Pisistratus and his sons. They are credited with investigating a number of artistic, architectural and engineering innovations, one of which was the city dionysia.
according to poetics by Aristotle, where did Tragedy and comedy originate from and how did this change over time?
Aristotle claims in ‘poetics’ that tragedy and comedy originated from diythrambs and from other prelude to the phallic songs from a man known as thespis. Thespis was believed to step away from the chorus of worshippers that simply sang the dithyramb and acted the dithyramb as individual characters . He also mentions that tragedy and comedy changed over time due to Aeschylus, a playwright who raised the number of actors from one to two. It was then sophocles who introduced three actors and scene painting in tragedy
where did drama originate from?
It is believed that drama originated from the worship of Dionysus- in the 6th century BCE the god Dionysus was worshipped in a procession from Eleutheria to Athens, in which large phalli where lofted along the procession and dithyrambs, known as songs were sung in honour of Dionysus. Aristotle believes that these dithyrambs transitioned from worshippers simply singing, to members of the dithyramb stepping out and acting out individual characters. One of the people believed to do this was thespis- the first actor in Greek drama
Who was Thespis and what did he do?
Thespis was believed to be the first actor of Ancient Greek drama and also the inventor of tragedy- according to stories, Thespis learned to switch between characters with the use of masks to enhance the effect of drama. This was Greek drama in its earliest form where an actor was seen alongside a chorus
what is thespis’ name recorded as?
The first to stage a tragedy at the city Dionysia festival in 534 BC
How did theatre come to Athens?
Theatre came to Athens in the late 6th century BCE, when Athens was not yet a democracy. During this time, Athens was ruled by a tyrant named peisistratus, who came to power through violence, but once he was in charge he wanted to unite and strengthen the city of Athens. Peisistratus believed he could unite the city religiously through the worship of Dionysus, the god of wine and celebration. Therefore, in the 530s BCE, Peisistratus expanded the already existing spring festival held in honour of Dionysus to the city dionysia festival which involved dithyrambic contests (theatre competitions which were essential founded by Thespis)
what is important to consider about the city dionysia?
It was not only a religious festival held in honour of Dionysus- it was also designed to re-affirm Athens as a source of pride and power
what does the word Tragedy in Greek literally mean?
‘goat song’- this could either refer to the animal sacrifices that were made before the city Dionysia festival, or could be a reference to satyr plays
What was a dithyramb and what was its purpose?
a choral dance designed to worship Dionysus
According to Herodotus when, where and why were dithyrambs developed?
According to Herodotus dithyrambs were invented in the corinth in the late seventh century by the songwriter Arion and that it was performed in honour of Dionysus.
