Ancient Greek Theater Basics

Ancient Greek theater

• 5th-century B.C.E. Athens, dramas were presented during festivals featuring dramatic contests

• Most important festival honored god of wine, Dionysus

Dionysus• Dionysus (in Greek

Dionysos –Διόνυσος), the god of wine, represents not only the intoxicating power of wine, but also its social and beneficial influences.

• Viewed as promoter of civilization, a lawgiver, and lover of peace, as well as the patrol deity of agriculture and the theatre.

Dionysus• Also known as the

Liberator, freeing one from one’s normal self, by madness, ecstasy, or wine.

• Divine mission = create beautiful music on flute and bring end to care and worry

Dionysus and followers• Satyr:

–noun 1. Classical Mythology. one of a class of woodland deities, attendant on Bacchus, represented as part human, part horse, and sometimes part goat and noted for riotousness and lasciviousness. 2. a lascivious man; lecher

• Maenad:–noun 1. Greek Mythology A woman member of the orgiastic cult of Dionysus. 2. A frenzied woman.

[Latin Maenas, Maenad-, from Greek mainas, raving, madwoman, Maenad, from mainesthai, to be mad; see men-1 in Indo-European roots.]

Dionysus cult

• The cult of Dionysos was at first spread to the people. Not popular w/nobles – god who let followers get drunk and what a “good man” should avoid.

• But when the first tyrants seized power with the help of the masses, they made the cult of Dionysos a festival of all the city.

• During classical period, festival of Dionysos becomes one of the official celebrations of the city-state.

Ancient Greek theater

• Contests held for comedy, tragedy, and the dithyramb, elaborate choral ode sung by a chorus of 50.

• Dithyramb = precursor to the play, which is why the chorus often plays a large role in Greek theater

Ancient Greek theater• Eventually, leader of chorus separated from group to

carry on "conversation" with them in performance.• Leader became the first actor. • Aeschylus added second actor, relied on chorus to

advance the action• Sophocles lessened the role of the chorus and added

third actor, heightening the drama by allowing three actors to interact simultaneously

• Euripides reduced the importance of the chorus so that they relayed only incidental information in his plays; he relied entirely on his actors to convey the action of the piece.