The Tragic Form Originates from Greece. Term means goat-song
possibly referring to the sacrifice of a goat to the god Dionysus
or the prize given to the playwright who won at the play
competitions.
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Dionysus Tragedies were performed in his honor
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Dionysus In Greek mythology, he was a nature god of
fruitfulness and vegetation, especially know as a god of wine and
ecstasy.
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Greek Tragedies Drawn from familiar myths of gods and mortals
found in the works of Homer and elsewhere This familiarity focused
the dramatic interest on the presentation of the changing awareness
and responses of those involved, rather than on plot.
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Violence and Irreverence These scenes were not depicted on
stage. Instead they were reported and commented upon
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Conflict Between the protagonist and a superior force (such as
destiny, circumstance, or society).
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The End (resolution) The tragic protagonist is confronted in
the end by an inexorable fate that ensures an unhappy outcome.
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Dionysus Theater-Reconstructed
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Dionysus Theater- Now
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Dionysus Theater Open-aired theater Like a semicircular
football stadium Performance area at the bottom; seating extended
up the hillside
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Orchestra Orchestra: circular, level space made of hard earth
where the chorus would dance, sing, and interact with the actors
who were on the stage near the skene. In the center of the
orchestra there was often an altar. The orchestra of the theater of
Dionysus in Athens was about 60 feet in diameter.
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Stage Area (view from the stage looking at the orchestra)
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Theatron (seating area) Where the spectators sat. Usually part
of hillside overlooking the orchestra, and often wrapped around a
large portion of the orchestra Spectators probably sat on cushions
or boards, but by the fourth century the theatron of many Greek
theaters had marble seats.
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Theater Seating
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Skene the building or tent directly behind the stage. raised
only two or three steps above the level of the orchestra, and was
perhaps 25 feet wide and 10 feet deep. usually decorated as a
palace, temple, or other building, depending on the needs of the
play. It had at least one set of doors, and actors could make
entrances and exits through them. also had access to the roof from
behind, so actors playing gods and other characters could appear on
the roof, if needed.
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Parodos "passageways" or paths by which the chorus and some
actors made their entrances and exits. The audience also used them
to enter and exit the theater before and after the
performance.
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Stage Setting In traditional Greek drama, little or no scenery
was used. Settings today are elaborate They often consist of layers
of settings including a backdrop, removable set, and layers of
props
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Costumes
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They wore long robes with vertical stripes. Costumes were
always stiff, heavy, dull, and dark colored to make apparent of
their character's feelings. Wealthy characters wore very
embroidered, authentic and intricately designed costumes giving the
audience a sense of their character's wealth as well as
personality.
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Masks The masks were typically made of very thin and delicate
clay, wood, or even stiffened cloth in some cases. Then, a thin
piece of linen was stretched over the base material of the mask.
Then, the masks were carefully carved and designed to fit the role
of the theatrical performances.
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Purpose of Masks Exaggerated the facial features of the actor.
Helped the audience tell whether the actor was playing a man or a
woman, his or her social stature, and his or her expression.
Because the features were so much larger than those of a real
human's face it was easy for the audience on the hillside to see.
In the mouth of the mask, there was a metal mouthpiece, which
helped exaggerate the voice of the actor, making it heard through
out the stands.