GREEK & ELIZABETHAN
THEATERENG 110 – QVCC
Spring 2010
THE GREEK THEATER
Athens in the Golden Age
ATHENS IN THE GOLDEN AGE 5th Century BC Competition of dramatists Celebration of Dionysus Acropolis
ThespisSingle speaker drawn out from chorus
Aeschylus & SophoclesAdded second and third actors
No more than three characters on stage at a time
Thespis Aeschylus Sophocles
CHARACTERISTICS OFGREEK TRAGEDY Masks Elevated shoes Elevated platform Scene building Orchestra Chorus Stichomythia Brief and concise
SOPHOCLES & OEDIPUS REX Musical, military and political experience Search for truth Human vs. religious concerns Audiences would have already been
familiar with Oedipus and his fate For original audiences, the
entertainment is not in the plot twists and reveals, but in the relentless tragedy
ELIZABETHAN THEATER
Shakespeare & the Age of Elizabeth
LONDON & QUEEN ELIZABETH I Late 16th century London’s place on international stage Strong artistic outpouring Literary output particularly desirable for
wide appeal
ELIZABETHAN STAGECRAFT Similar to Greek theater, but expanded
themes of tragedy and comedy Simplicity was key Verse
ELIZABETHAN THEATERS Playhouses accommodated fewer
audience members as opposed to Greek amphitheatersOnly about 2300 people plus 800
groundlings Smaller space meant actors could
project without masks and platforms Subtleties in acting (voice, facial
expression) Multi-level performance areas Curtains/trapdoors
THE GLOBE THEATER
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE Born in Stratford-upon-
Avon, 1564 Basic education, but
no university experience
Experience as both writer and actor
Work most famous for:Revelation of human
characterRichness of language
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