History of TheaterHistory of Theater

Drama UnitDrama Unit

Mrs. BartelMrs. Bartel

The Acropolis in Athens, Greece The Theater of Dionysus

What is Drama?What is Drama?

Drama is an art form in which a story Drama is an art form in which a story dealing with human conflict is acted dealing with human conflict is acted out on stage.out on stage.

Formal theaterFormal theater: actors follow script : actors follow script (school play)(school play) Informal theaterInformal theater: actors rely on their : actors rely on their

imaginations imaginations (mimes)(mimes)

Greek TheaterGreek Theater

Began as a religious celebration Began as a religious celebration associated with the worship of associated with the worship of Dionysus, god of wineDionysus, god of wine

Festivals lasted 5-6 daysFestivals lasted 5-6 days534 B.C.-Thespis won first contest534 B.C.-Thespis won first contestWord “thespian” comes from his Word “thespian” comes from his

name, meaning “actor.”name, meaning “actor.”Presented in an amphitheater settingPresented in an amphitheater setting

www.aug.edu/~cshotwel/2001.Greeks.htm

Greek amphitheater at Greek amphitheater at EphesusEphesus

http://www.ozturk.com.au/sultanitin1.html

Principles of Greek DramaPrinciples of Greek Drama

Catharsis: release of emotions in the Catharsis: release of emotions in the audienceaudience

Main character: noble birthMain character: noble birthMain character: suffers fall from graceMain character: suffers fall from graceWritten in poetic languageWritten in poetic languageShakespeare follows all these Shakespeare follows all these

principles.principles.

Characteristics of a Tragic Characteristics of a Tragic HeroHero

According to Aristotle:According to Aristotle:1.1. Usually of noble birthUsually of noble birth

2.2. HamartiaHamartia – a.k.a. the – a.k.a. the tragic flaw tragic flaw that eventually that eventually leads to his downfall; often this leads to a mistake leads to his downfall; often this leads to a mistake in judgment.in judgment.

3.3. PeripeteiaPeripeteia – a – a reversal of fortune reversal of fortune brought brought about by the heroabout by the hero’’s tragic flaw; this is often also s tragic flaw; this is often also influenced by influenced by ““fatefate”” or the gods. or the gods.

4.4. His actions result in an increase of self- awareness His actions result in an increase of self- awareness and self-knowledge…though he may not choose to and self-knowledge…though he may not choose to act on this!act on this!

5.5. The audience must feel pity and fear for this The audience must feel pity and fear for this charactercharacter

The The ““tragic flawtragic flaw””

The The ““flawflaw”” in the character is a defect in the character is a defect which keeps him/her from being aware which keeps him/her from being aware of the situation around him/her. The of the situation around him/her. The character does not understand (for much character does not understand (for much of the story) his/her part of creating the of the story) his/her part of creating the situation.situation.

Ex: Pride (Ex: Pride (““HubrisHubris””)) Skywalker thinks he is Skywalker thinks he is

so good, he can take on an so good, he can take on an

experienced Jedi all by himselfexperienced Jedi all by himself

Examples of FlawsExamples of Flaws

Shakespearean Tragic PlotShakespearean Tragic Plot Act I: ExpositionAct I: Exposition

This is where the setting, This is where the setting, characters, and conflicts arecharacters, and conflicts are introduced.introduced.

Act II: Rising Action (inciting incident)Act II: Rising Action (inciting incident)

Act III: Turning Point (Climax)Act III: Turning Point (Climax) This is where the reversal of fortune occurs and it all starts to go This is where the reversal of fortune occurs and it all starts to go

badly for the tragic hero.badly for the tragic hero.

Act IV: Falling Action-downhill spiral (moment of final suspense)Act IV: Falling Action-downhill spiral (moment of final suspense)

Act V: Catastrophe/ResolutionAct V: Catastrophe/Resolution The conflicts are resolved (usually death); chaos returns to The conflicts are resolved (usually death); chaos returns to

order.order.

Roman TheaterRoman Theater

200 B.C. Rome overtook Athens as 200 B.C. Rome overtook Athens as the cultural center for dramathe cultural center for drama

Imitated Greek dramas-so considered Imitated Greek dramas-so considered inferiorinferior

Major contribution: modern elevated Major contribution: modern elevated stagestage

Middle AgesMiddle Ages

Formal theater disappeared for agesFormal theater disappeared for ages1010thth century-church took over century-church took overPresentations dealt with biblical events Presentations dealt with biblical events

and parables (A simple story and parables (A simple story illustrating a moral or religious lesson)illustrating a moral or religious lesson)

Continued until 16Continued until 16thth century centuryPageant wagons used (movable stages Pageant wagons used (movable stages

to act out biblical stories)to act out biblical stories)

Middle AgesMiddle Ages

Miracle plays: dramatized events Miracle plays: dramatized events from the biblefrom the bible

Mystery plays: presented events Mystery plays: presented events from the saints’ livesfrom the saints’ lives

Morality plays: presented allegorical Morality plays: presented allegorical stories in which characters stories in which characters personified religious or moral personified religious or moral abstractions (abstractions (Seven Deadly Sins) ) saved by Mercy, Justice, saved by Mercy, Justice, Temperance, and TruthTemperance, and Truth

GluttonyGluttony

Mystery/MiracleMystery/Miracle

Renaissance TheaterRenaissance Theater

1300-16001300-1600““rebirth”-renewed interest in Greek and rebirth”-renewed interest in Greek and

Roman tragediesRoman tragediesOriginal comedies, tragedies, and Original comedies, tragedies, and

pastoral plays were created and pastoral plays were created and performedperformed

Commedia dell’ arte-popular comedy in Commedia dell’ arte-popular comedy in which professional actors improvisedwhich professional actors improvised

Shakespeare-YEA!-Scavenger HuntShakespeare-YEA!-Scavenger Hunt

Renaissance TheaterRenaissance TheaterThree important developmentsThree important developments

Secular themes (nonreligious)Secular themes (nonreligious)Rise of professionalism in acting and Rise of professionalism in acting and

play writingplay writingPlays preformed in English rather Plays preformed in English rather

than Latinthan Latin

French Theater-RenaissanceFrench Theater-Renaissance

Moliere (1622-1673)Moliere (1622-1673)Considered comic geniusConsidered comic geniusPlays ridiculed people, ideas, Plays ridiculed people, ideas,

medicine, forced marriagemedicine, forced marriageRaised status of comedy to level of Raised status of comedy to level of

tragedytragedyQuote: “The duty of comedy is to Quote: “The duty of comedy is to

correct men by amusing them.”correct men by amusing them.”

Restoration TheaterRestoration Theater

Restoration of Royal family of Stuart Restoration of Royal family of Stuart to throne (1660-1700)to throne (1660-1700)

Comedy of manners-satirizes social Comedy of manners-satirizes social customs. customs.

Women were allowed to act for the Women were allowed to act for the first time in England!first time in England!

Nineteenth Century TheaterNineteenth Century Theater

Romanticism-the belief that humans Romanticism-the belief that humans should be guided by feelings and should be guided by feelings and emotionsemotions

Freed artist from rules, lots of special Freed artist from rules, lots of special effectseffects

Experimentation in theater!Experimentation in theater!operasoperas

RomanticismRomanticism

Three Main Types of American Three Main Types of American Romantic DramasRomantic Dramas

1.1. Quasi-historical characters interacting in Quasi-historical characters interacting in a scenically romantic distant locale a scenically romantic distant locale (affection, sorrow, and romantic longing) (affection, sorrow, and romantic longing)

2.2. Plays dealing with historical figures Plays dealing with historical figures 3.3. Sinister gothic performances of Sinister gothic performances of

mysterious and supernatural adventures mysterious and supernatural adventures (horrify and amaze) (horrify and amaze)

4.4. modern horror novels and women's modern horror novels and women's romance novels are both descendants of romance novels are both descendants of the Gothic romance the Gothic romance

RomanticismRomanticism

Common ThemesCommon ThemesLibertarianismLibertarianism: free from convention : free from convention

and tyranny, the Democratic spirit and tyranny, the Democratic spirit Nature: Nature: unspoiled scenery unspoiled scenery Lure of the Exotic:Lure of the Exotic: picturesque, picturesque,

romanticized view of the past, romanticized view of the past, mystery, superstition mystery, superstition

The SupernaturalThe Supernatural: folktales, : folktales, connection of identity of self connection of identity of self

Nineteenth Century TheaterNineteenth Century Theater

Late 19Late 19thth century, modern drama was century, modern drama was bornborn

Henrick Ibsen (Norway)Henrick Ibsen (Norway)August Strindberg (Sweden)August Strindberg (Sweden)Anton Chekhov (Russia)Anton Chekhov (Russia) John Galsworthy (Great Britain)John Galsworthy (Great Britain)Bernard Shaw (Great Britain)Bernard Shaw (Great Britain)Realism-portray people and situations Realism-portray people and situations

as they really are in everyday lifeas they really are in everyday life

Contemporary TheaterContemporary Theater

Experimented with many styles (not Experimented with many styles (not one style exists today)one style exists today)

Theater of the absurd-life viewed as Theater of the absurd-life viewed as meaningless and people’s strivings meaningless and people’s strivings as absurd, since they cannot do as absurd, since they cannot do anything to improve the human lotanything to improve the human lot

Theater of the AbsurdTheater of the Absurd

Samuel Beckett-Samuel Beckett-Waiting for Godot Waiting for Godot (1953)(1953)

Two types of DramaTwo types of Drama

Comedy-happy ending, exaggerated Comedy-happy ending, exaggerated or eccentric behavior, goal to or eccentric behavior, goal to entertain, to make people laugh, or entertain, to make people laugh, or to be scornfulto be scornful

Tragedy-sad or disastrous ending, Tragedy-sad or disastrous ending,

serious storyserious story