Unit 9: Classical Theatre: Study Questions Flashcards
Q: What were the main features of Greek drama?
A: Greek drama included tragedy, comedy, and satyr plays, performed in large outdoor theatres with masks, a chorus, and stylized acting. It had religious origins, was highly structured, and often explored political, moral, and philosophical themes.
Q: Who were the three greatest writers of tragedies, and what were the major themes of their plays?
A: Aeschylus (fate, justice, divine will), Sophocles (free will, moral dilemmas, tragic flaws), and Euripides (psychological depth, human emotion, criticism of traditional values).
Q: What were the main features of Old Comedy?
A: Old Comedy was satirical, used exaggerated characters, crude humor, and direct audience address. It mocked politics, war, and intellectuals while using absurd plots and slapstick elements.
Q: Who were the greatest writers of Old Comedy, and what were the major themes of their plays?
A: Aristophanes was the most famous, writing about war, politics, gender roles, and philosophy. His plays criticized Athenian democracy, leaders, and social issues.
Q: How does the great age of Greek drama relate to Athenian democracy?
A: Theatre flourished in democratic Athens, reflecting political debates, civic issues, and public concerns. Playwrights used drama to critique leaders and social structures, engaging citizens in dialogue.
Q: What are some similarities and differences between Homeric epic and Athenian tragedy?
A: Both explore fate, heroism, and divine influence, but epics focus on grand adventures while tragedy examines internal conflict and moral dilemmas. Tragedy is structured as dialogue-driven drama, whereas epics are narrative poetry.
Q: How do the themes of Greek drama and the concerns of playwrights relate to new developments in history writing?
A: Like Thucydides, playwrights explored human nature, war, and politics. Both used rational analysis and questioned traditional narratives, emphasizing cause and effect over divine intervention.
Q: What similarities do you see between ancient Greek theatre and modern theatre? What are the major differences?
A: Both address social issues, use actors, and follow structured scripts. Differences include modern use of technology, realism, and broader themes, while Greek theatre was ritualistic and relied on masks and choruses.
Q: What negative female stereotypes does the play exploit for comic effect?
A: Women are portrayed as overly sexual, incapable of serious political thought, and obsessed with domestic tasks. Their supposed lack of self-control becomes a comedic device.
Q: Does Aristophanes ever show sympathy toward Greek women?
A: Yes, he highlights their intelligence, organizational skills, and moral superiority, particularly through Lysistrata’s leadership and arguments for peace.
Q: The play is not theological, but what references does it make to Greek religion?
A: It invokes gods like Athena and Aphrodite, includes rituals and oaths, and reflects religious festivals where comedy was performed.
Q: How does the play make fun of Athens’ leaders and citizens?
A: It portrays men as incompetent, driven by war and personal desires, and contrasts them with practical, peace-seeking women. It also mocks political corruption and military failures.
Q: What metaphor does Lysistrata use in lines 564–586 to argue that women could manage the city better than men?
A: She compares governing the city to weaving, saying that just as women untangle and clean wool, they could “weave” Greece into order and unity, removing corruption and discord.
Q: How does Lysistrata shore up the women’s resolve when it starts to weaken in Scene 4, ll. 706–779?
A: She reminds them of their cause, shames them for wavering, and reinforces their power by emphasizing that peace depends on their unity and sacrifice.
Q: When Lysistrata addresses the Spartan and Athenian ambassadors, what arguments does she make on behalf of peace (ll. 1102–1189)?
A: She argues that Greeks share a common heritage and should not destroy each other. She appeals to their past alliances and mutual benefits of peace.
Q: In the same passage, the ambassadors lust over the naked figure of “Reconciliation”: what does this symbolize?
A: It symbolizes peace as an alluring but neglected goal, showing how leaders are easily distracted by desire rather than focusing on political responsibility.
Q: Who wrote Lysistrata, when was it produced, and how does it fit into Athens’ history?
A: Aristophanes wrote it in 411 BCE during the Peloponnesian War. It reflects war fatigue and critiques Athenian politics and military failures.
Q: Briefly summarize the plot of the play.
A: Athenian and Spartan women, led by Lysistrata, withhold sex to force men into peace negotiations. Despite challenges, their strategy succeeds, leading to reconciliation.
Q: What features of Old Comedy, as discussed in this unit, can be found in this play?
A: Exaggerated characters, direct audience address, crude humor, political satire, and absurd but socially relevant plots.
Q: How does Aristophanes use obscenity in the play?
A: He employs sexual jokes, innuendos, and exaggerated physical comedy to mock gender roles, war, and power dynamics.
Q: What are the main objects of satire in the play?
A: War, male incompetence, gender roles, and political leadership. It critiques Athenian and Spartan society through humor.
Q: What are the main messages conveyed by Aristophanes in the play?
A: The absurdity of war, the power of unity, the role of women in society, and the need for political reform.
Q: Comedy is very different from epic or history, but do you find any similarities or references to The Iliad or to the histories of Herodotus or Thucydides?
A: The play references past wars, Greek unity, and critiques leadership, similar to Thucydides’ analysis of the Peloponnesian War. Like The Iliad, it satirizes the conflict between Greek factions.
