Theatre Of
Ancient Greece
The theatre of Ancient Greece, or ancient Greek
drama, is a theatrical culture that
flourished in ancient Greece between 550 BC and 220 BC.
The city-state of Athens,
which became a significant cultural, political, and military power during this
period, was its centre, where it wasinstitutionalised as
part of a festival called
the Dionysia,
which honoured the god Dionysus. Tragedy (late
6th century BC), comedy (486 BC), and the satyr play were
the three dramatic genres to emerge
there.
Etymology
The word τραγῳδία (tragoidia), from which the word "tragedy" is
derived, is a compound of two Greek words:
τράγος (tragos) or "goat" and ᾠδή (ode) meaning
"song", from ἀείδειν (aeidein), "to sing". This
etymology indicates a link with the practices of the ancient Dionysian
cults. It is impossible, however, to
know with certainty how these fertility rituals became the basis for tragedy and comedy. [2]
Greek tragedy as we know it was created in Athens around the
time of 532 BC, when Thespis was the earliest recorded actor. Thespis is
often called the "Father of Tragedy"; however, his importance is
disputed, and Thespis is sometimes listed as late as 16th in the chronological
order of Greek tragedians.
The dramatic performances were important to the Athenians –
this is made clear by the creation of a tragedy competition and festival in the
City Dionysia. This
was organized possibly to foster loyalty among the tribes of Attica.
New inventions during the Classical Period
After the Great Destruction of Athens by
the Persian Empire in 485 BC, the town and
acropolis were rebuilt, and theatre became formalized and an even greater part
of Athenian culture and civic pride. This century is normally regarded as
the Golden Age of Greek drama. The centre-piece of
the annual Dionysia, which took place once in winter and once in spring, was a
competition between three tragic playwrights at the Theatre of Dionysus. Each submitted three
tragedies, plus a satyr play (a comic, burlesque version
of a mythological subject). Beginning in a first competition in 486 BC, each playwright
also submitted a comedy.[10] Aristotle claimed
that Aeschylus added
the second actor, and that Sophocles introduced the third. Apparently the Greek
playwrights never used more than three actors based on what is known about
Greek theatre.
Tragedy and comedy were viewed as completely separate
genres, and no plays ever merged aspects of the two. Satyr plays dealt
with the mythological subject matter of the tragedies, but in a purely comedic
manner.
The plays had a chorus from 12 to 15[12] people, who
performed the plays in verse accompanied by music, beginning in the morning and
lasting until the evening. The performance space was a simple circular space,
the orchestra, where the chorus danced and sang. The orchestra,
which had an average diameter of 78 feet, was situated on a flattened terrace
at the foot of a hill, the slope of which produced a natural theatron,
literally "watching place". Later, the term "theater" came
to be applied to the whole area of theatron, orchestra, and skené. The choregos was the head chorus member who could enter
the story as a character able to interact with the characters of a play.
The theatres were originally built on a very large scale to accommodate the
large number of people on stage, as well as the large number of people in the
audience, up to fourteen thousand. Mathematics played a large role in the
construction of these theatres, as their designers had to be able to
create acoustics in them such
that the actors' voices could be heard throughout the theatre, including the
very top row of seats. The Greeks' understanding of acoustics compares very
favourably with the current state of the art. The first seats in Greek theatres
(other than just sitting on the ground) were wooden, but around 499 BC the
practice of inlaying stone blocks into the side of the hill to create
permanent, stable seating became more common. They were called the
"prohedria" and reserved for priests and a few most respected
citizens.
In 465 BC, the playwrights began using a backdrop or scenic wall, which
hung or stood behind the orchestra, which also served as an area where actors
could change their costumes. It was known as the skênê (from
which the word "scene" derives). The
death of a character was always heard behind the skênê, for it was
considered inappropriate to show a killing in view of the audience.[citation needed] Though there is
scholarly argument that death in Greek tragedy was portrayed off stage
primarily because of dramatic considerations, and not prudishness or sensitivity
of the audience. [13] In 425 BC a
stone scene wall, called a paraskenia, became a common supplement to skênê in
the theatres. A paraskenia was a long wall with projecting sides, which may
have had doorways for entrances and exits. Just behind the paraskenia was the
proskenion. The proskenion ("in front of the scene") was beautiful,
and was similar to the modern day proscenium.
Greek theatres also had tall arched entrances called parodoi or eisodoi, through which actors and chorus members entered and
exited the orchestra. By the end of the 5th century BC, around the time of the
Peloponnesian War, the skênê, the back wall, was two stories high.
The upper story was called the episkenion. Some theatres also had a raised
speaking place on the orchestra called the logeion.
Masks
Tragic Comic Masks
Masks and Rituals
The Ancient Greek term for a mask is prosopon (lit.,
"face"), and was a significant element in the worship of Dionysus at Athens, likely
used in ceremonial rites and celebrations. Most of the evidence comes from only
a few vase paintings of the 5th century BC, such as one showing a mask of the
god suspended from a tree with decorated robe hanging below it and dancing and
the Pronomos vase, which
depicts actors preparing for a Satyr play. No physical evidence
remains available to us, as the masks were made of organic materials and not
considered permanent objects, ultimately being dedicated to the altar of
Dionysus after performances. Nevertheless, the mask is known to have been used
since the time of Aeschylus and considered to be one of the iconic
conventions of classical Greek theatre.
Masks were also made for members of the chorus, who play
some part in the action and provide a commentary on the events in which they
are caught up. Although there are twelve or fifteen members of the tragic
chorus, they all wear the same mask because they are considered to be representing
one character.
Mask details
The mask-makers were called skeuopoios or “maker
of the properties,” thus suggesting that their role encompassed multiple duties
and tasks. The masks were most likely made out of light weight, organic
materials like stiffened linen, leather, wood, or cork, with the wig consisting
of human or animal hair. Due to the visual restrictions imposed by these
masks, it was imperative that the actors hear in order to co-orientate and
balance themselves. Thus, it is believed that the ears were covered by
substantial amounts of hair and not the helmet-mask itself. The mouth opening
was relatively small, preventing the mouth to be seen during
performances. Vervain and Wiles posit that this small size discourages the
idea that the mask functioned as a megaphone, as originally presented in the
1960s. Greek mask-maker, Thanos Vovolis, suggests that the mask
serves as a resonator for the head, thus enhancing vocal acoustics and altering
its quality. This leads to increased energy and presence, allowing for the more
complete metamorphosis of the actor into his character.
Mask functions
In a large open-air theatre, like the Theatre of Dionysus in Athens, the
classical masks were able to bring the characters' face closer to the audience,
especially since they had intensely exaggerated facial features and
expressions. They enabled an actor to appear and reappear in several
different roles, thus preventing the audience from identifying the actor to one
specific character. Their variations help the audience to distinguish sex,
age, and social status, in addition to revealing a change in a particular
character’s appearance, e.g. Oedipus after blinding himself. Unique masks
were also created for specific characters and events in a play, such as The Furies in Aeschylus’ Eumenides and Pentheus and Cadmus in Euripides’ The Bacchae. Worn
by the chorus, the masks created a sense of unity and uniformity, while
representing a multi-voiced persona or single organism and simultaneously
encouraged interdependency and a heightened sensitivity between each individual
of the group. Only 2-3 actors were allowed on the stage at one time, and masks
permitted quick transitions from one character to another. There were only male
actors, but masks allowed them to play female characters.
Other costume details
The actors in these plays that had tragic roles wore boots
called cothurni that elevated them above the other actors. The actors
with comedic roles only wore a thin soled shoe called a sock.
Melpomene is the muse of tragedy
and is often depicted holding the tragic mask and wearing cothurni. Thalia is
the muse of comedy and is similarly associated with the mask of comedy and the
comedic "socks".
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