Greek Society and the Origins of the Classics. The Golden Age of Greece Athens – 5 th Century B.C.
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Transcript of Greek Society and the Origins of the Classics. The Golden Age of Greece Athens – 5 th Century B.C.
Greek Society and the Origins of the Classics
The Golden Age of GreeceAthens – 5th Century B.C.
Sophocles
Sophocles
Born in Athens in 497 B.C.
Most well known ancient Greek playwright
A member of the ruling class
Was sympathetic to social inequalities in his society
Warned other Greeks that their prejudices and social inequality would result in their destruction
Greek Belief System
Polytheistic – worshipped many gods
FATE was a divine force that was stronger than the gods
They felt the gods became angry with people who were guilty of pride or any other kind of excess
People were supposed to live moderately and correctly
Origins of Greek Drama
To celebrate their gods, the Greeks held many festivals where Drama played a key role
Everyone attended the plays
Playwrights competed against each other to see who was the best writer
Tragedies were the types of plays performed
Plays were choral lyrics, based on myths, with song alternating with dialogue
Tragedy
Greek Tragedy focuses on the TRAGIC HERO
TRAGIC HERO: a great man who has one tragic flaw which brings about his downfall. The hero accepts the consequences of his errors and teaches the audience some truth about life.
Greek Theater
First Theater: At the AcropolisPeople sat in open air on benchesTheater was like a religious experience, so the performance was dignified and seriousPeople expected to be awakened to the truthPeople expected a discussion about serious life issues
Stage Conventions of Greek Theater
Dramatic Irony: Since the audience was familiar with the plots (taken from well-known myths), it always had more information about the action than the characters on the stage
Stage Conventions of Greek Theater
The plays were acted in the daytime, without lights or curtains, and had few sets.
NO TECHNOLOGY!
Stage Conventions of Greek Theater
ACTORS WERE ALL MALE!
They wore masks, wigs, and high boots.
Stage Conventions of Greek Theater
THE THREE UNITIES:
UNITY OF TIME – all the action of the play took place within 24 hours; dialogue provided background info.
UNITY OF PLACE – action was limited to one setting; one unchanged set was used.
UNITY OF SUBJECT – the focus was on the main character. No sub-plots.
Stage Conventions of Greek Theater
CHORUS:
15-20 men represent the citizens
They were always onstage and they frequently sang and danced
They always had a leader who carried on a dialogue with the main characters or with the rest of the chorus.
Stage Conventions of Greek Theater
Function of the chorus:Set the tone
Give background info
Recall past events
Interpret and summarize events
Ask questions
Give opinions
Give advice, if asked
Stay objective
Act like a jury
Other Literary Terms
Hubris – Excessive prideMetaphor – A direct comparison between two thingsSimile – A comparison between two things using like or asHyperbole – Extreme exaggerationJuxtaposition – Placing two objects side by sideParadox – A true statement that seems contradictory