Ancient Greece & SophoclesAncient Greece & Sophocles

Notes by Notes by Olaina Olaina

AndersonAnderson

Athens: democracy is born 508 B.C.Athens: democracy is born 508 B.C.

Pericles Pericles • 472 B.C.472 B.C.

sponsored play sponsored play by Aeschylus by Aeschylus in Great in Great DionysiaDionysia

• 461-429 B.C.461-429 B.C. ruled Athensruled Athens

• 447 B.C.447 B.C. oversaw oversaw building of building of Parthenon Parthenon

The Parthenon at the Acropolis in Athens.

Photo by Olaina Anderson

Greek TheaterGreek Theater Purpose:Purpose: to worship Dionysus, god of wine to worship Dionysus, god of wine Audience:Audience: Athenians Athenians

Photo by Olaina Anderson

The Theater and area of the Sanctuary of Dionysus.

The oldest The oldest theater in the theater in the worldworld

Plays by Plays by Aeschylus, Aeschylus, Sophocles & Sophocles & Euripides Euripides performed hereperformed here

Theater was Theater was banned in other banned in other city-statescity-states

The Great Dionysia: The Great Dionysia: Festival of DionysusFestival of Dionysus

Athens: the first city to organize the Great Athens: the first city to organize the Great DionysiaDionysia

Annual theater contestAnnual theater contest • at the end of March at the end of March • to celebrate the coming of spring and to celebrate the coming of spring and

honor Dionysushonor Dionysus• Chief Magistrate chose competitors: Chief Magistrate chose competitors:

three tragic poets and five comic poetsthree tragic poets and five comic poets• tragedians submitted four plays each; three tragedians submitted four plays each; three

connected with a common subject (connected with a common subject (trilogytrilogy))• contest lasted four dayscontest lasted four days

Production of the Great DionysiaProduction of the Great Dionysia

Chief Magistrate chose:Chief Magistrate chose:• rich citizens to be the choregoirich citizens to be the choregoi

great honor to be chosengreat honor to be chosen paid for masks, costumes, flute player and paid for masks, costumes, flute player and

chorus trainerchorus trainer selected, fed and housed chorusselected, fed and housed chorus

• three actors for each playthree actors for each play their salaries were paid for by the statetheir salaries were paid for by the state

Celebration of the Great DionysiaCelebration of the Great Dionysia

City celebrated for 3-4 days prior to City celebrated for 3-4 days prior to competitioncompetition

Image of DionysusImage of Dionysus • carried around city while citizens sang, drank and dancedcarried around city while citizens sang, drank and danced• brought to theater, placed in the middle of the orchestrabrought to theater, placed in the middle of the orchestra

Main Main contest ensued for the next four dayscontest ensued for the next four days

Performances started early in the morning Performances started early in the morning and lasted until late afternoonand lasted until late afternoon

Considered a Considered a civic dutycivic duty to attend the plays to attend the plays• prisoners were freed on bail during the celebration prisoners were freed on bail during the celebration • state paid for those too poor to pay admissionstate paid for those too poor to pay admission

The winnersThe winners

Judges submitted the winner’s names on Judges submitted the winner’s names on clay tabletsclay tablets

Awards:Awards:• First place: a bullFirst place: a bull• Second place: wineSecond place: wine• Third place: a goatThird place: a goat• Chorogos crowned and given a bronze tripod Chorogos crowned and given a bronze tripod

which he placed on a pillarwhich he placed on a pillar• Official inscription at the god’s Sanctuary, Official inscription at the god’s Sanctuary,

recording the names of the chief magistrate, recording the names of the chief magistrate, the winning poets, plays, and protagoniststhe winning poets, plays, and protagonists

Three Basic Parts of a TheaterThree Basic Parts of a Theater

Orchestra (focal point of song and dance; linked to worship of Dionysus)

Skene (for storage of props, costumes, special effects devices)

Cavea (seating area)

Photo by Olaina Anderson

The Odeion of Herodes Atticus.

SeatingSeating

Photo by Olaina Anderson

Stadium seats.

Seats for priests and dignitaries, often with names of officials carved into them.

Greek ChorusGreek Chorus

““choros” means “dance” (think choros” means “dance” (think choreography)choreography)

Group of singers/actors who chanted Group of singers/actors who chanted and dancedand danced

Members were young amateur male Members were young amateur male actorsactors

Originally 12 membersOriginally 12 members

Greek ChorusGreek Chorus

Purpose:Purpose:• reflect public opinionreflect public opinion• offer adviceoffer advice• warn characters of consequenceswarn characters of consequences• summarize plotsummarize plot• offer suggestionsoffer suggestions

Sophocles’ influence:Sophocles’ influence:• increased chorus from 12 to 15 actorsincreased chorus from 12 to 15 actors

Four Great Classical PoetsFour Great Classical Poets AeschylusAeschylus (525-456 B.C.) (525-456 B.C.)

• Father of tragedyFather of tragedy• Added second actor, creating dialogueAdded second actor, creating dialogue

SophoclesSophocles (496-406 B.C.) (496-406 B.C.)• Added third actor, creating greater plot and Added third actor, creating greater plot and

more dialoguemore dialogue• Added painted wooden surfaces for sceneryAdded painted wooden surfaces for scenery• 120 plays, seven extant120 plays, seven extant• Won 24 times, 18 at the Great Dionysia (beat Won 24 times, 18 at the Great Dionysia (beat

Aeschylus his mentor the first time in 468 B.C.)Aeschylus his mentor the first time in 468 B.C.) EuripidesEuripides (485-406 B.C.) (485-406 B.C.)

• Added the prologueAdded the prologue AristophanesAristophanes (445- 380 B.C.) (445- 380 B.C.)

• Contemporary of Plato and SocratesContemporary of Plato and Socrates

Sophocles (496-406 B.C.)Sophocles (496-406 B.C.) Born at Colonus near AthensBorn at Colonus near Athens Wealthy family; armor factoryWealthy family; armor factory Interested in public matters, but not active Interested in public matters, but not active

in politicsin politics Treasurer of Athenian League, at age 53Treasurer of Athenian League, at age 53 Strategos (general) twice, but not militarily Strategos (general) twice, but not militarily

giftedgifted Member of group to reform constitutionMember of group to reform constitution Accepted traditional religion and godsAccepted traditional religion and gods Promoted man rather than gods in playsPromoted man rather than gods in plays

Oedipus the KingOedipus the King

Athenian audience Athenian audience knew the story—knew the story—Aeschylus had Aeschylus had written and written and performed it before performed it before SophoclesSophocles

Oedipus murdered Oedipus murdered his father and his father and married his mothermarried his mother

Oedipus solved the Oedipus solved the riddle of the riddle of the sphynx sphynx

DelphiDelphi

Photo by Olaina Anderson

Delphi AgoraDelphi Agora

Photo by Olaina Anderson

BibliographyBibliography

The Greeks Crucible of Civilization.The Greeks Crucible of Civilization. PBS.org. 1995-2004. PBS.org. 1995-2004.

Kokkinou, S. and N. Vrisimtzis. Kokkinou, S. and N. Vrisimtzis. Greek Temples and TheatersGreek Temples and Theaters. Athens: . Athens: Intercarta. 1994. Intercarta. 1994.

Tsakos, Konstantinos. Tsakos, Konstantinos. The Acropolis: The monuments and the The Acropolis: The monuments and the museum, a guide to the history and archaeologymuseum, a guide to the history and archaeology. Athens: . Athens: Hesperos. 2000. Hesperos. 2000.