Dramatic Competitions
Theater of Dionysus
Role of Drama in Athens
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Comedies and tragedies were performed in the city as
part of an important civic religious festival called the
City Dionysia.
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The festival lasted several days and included several
types of performance, all of which were competitions
for important civic honor and prizes
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Dramas usually focused on the city and city life of
Athens
Role of Drama pt 2
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The audience and most performers were
citizens
The judging of the dramatic competitions
followed Athenian democracy—any citizen could
participate
Judges were selected randomly from the
audience (giving the gods a chance to
participate). An urn from each of the 10 tribes
contained the names of citizens eligible to serve
as judges; to prevent bribery, one name was
drawn from each urn at the start of the festival.
The Competitions
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Dithyrambs were performed by two choruses, one composed of 50
men and one of 50 boys, who sung and danced in honor of Dionysus.
Each of the 10 tribes of Athens put on a dithyramb; each set of
choruses was trained and financed by a choregos, a wealthy citizen
who did this as part of his civic duty. The prize went to the choregos and
the tribe he represented.
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Comedies: Initially 3 and eventually 5 comic playwrights, each
presenting one comedy, competed for the comic prize. Comedies were
set in the contemporary era and often caricatured living as well as
fictional Athenians.
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Tragedies and Satyr Plays: Three tragic playwrights, each presenting
3 tragedies and a single satyr play on a separate day, competed for the
prize in tragedy. Like tragedies, satyr plays were set in the mythological
past and featured gods and heroes, but the chorus of the this type of
drama was always composed of satyrs, boisterous, half-animal
companions of Dionysus whose comical predicaments contrasted
with the serious tone of the preceding tragedies.
Structure of Greek Tragedy
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Prologue: Spoken by one or two characters before the chorus appears. The
prologue usually gives the mythological background necessary for
understanding the events of the play.
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Parodos: This is the song sung by the chorus as it first enters the orchestra and
dances.
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First Episode: This is the first of many "episodes", when the characters and
chorus talk.
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First Stasimon: At the end of each episode, the other characters usually leave
the stage and the chorus dances and sings a stasimon, or choral ode. The ode
usually reflects on the things said and done in the episodes, and puts it into
some kind of larger mythological framework.
{NOTE: For the rest of the play, there is alternation between episodes and
stasima, until the final scene.}
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Exodos: At the end of play, the chorus exits singing a processional song which
usually offers words of wisdom related to the actions and outcome of the play.
Dionysus
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The son of Zeus and Semele, a woman of
Thebes
God of wine and madness, vegetation, and
the theatre
Theater performances often had religious
significance in the worship of Dionysus
[punishment for wrongs, tragic death, loss of
identity {masks on actors & the chorus}]
Agamemnon Background Information
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Why did Paris Steal Helen [aka Helen of Troy]?
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Paris was the youngest son of Priam and Hecuba. When
he was born, it was foretold that he would be the cause of
the downfall of Troy, as told in a dream of Hecuba. He was
sent out of Troy in hopes that the message would be false.
An apple inscribed "To the fairest" was claimed by the
goddesses Hera, Athena and Aphrodite. They all asked
Zeus to decide on who should receive the apple. Zeus
asked Paris to be the Judge.
Paris, being a mortal, could not decide. However, each of
the three goddesses decided to make it easier for him.
They would each offer him gifts, and he would get
the gifts form the goddess he chose.
What Paris was offered
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Hera offered Paris power. She offered to give him all of Asia, and
great power. He thought this offer was great, but he decided to
hear the other offers first before deciding.
Athena offered him great wisdom, and great luck in battle. He
would be the best strategist in the world. He loved this idea, but
he waited to hear Aphrodite's offer.
Aphrodite offered him two things. The first was his body [his life],
and the second was the love of the most beautiful woman in the
world, Helen. Since Paris's first love was women, he decided to
pick Aphrodite's offer. Hera and Athena vowed vengeance.
 Paris soon went home to Troy after that, and with Aphrodite's
help, he managed to send a fleet of ships, break into Menelaus'
palace in Greece and kidnap Helen. He also took a lot of treasure
with him.
Why would everyone go after Helen
when she was stolen from Menelaus?
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Everyone wanted to marry Helen because she was the most
beautiful woman in Greece and her father Tyndareus feared
there would be war amongst the suitors.
Odysseus suggested that each suitor swear an oath to stand
behind whomever Tyndareus selected and be ready at any time
in the future to defend the favored bridegroom against any wrong
done to him in respect to the marriage. Everyone agreed to these
terms.
It may be important to realize that Helen really had little say-so in
this arrangement. Menelaus was a political choice on
her father's part. He had wealth and power, mainly
through his brother Agamemnon, but for Helen, he
did not offer the good looks and glamour of some of
her other suitors.
Why does Aegithus want revenge on
Agamemnon?
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The House of Atreus suffers from an ancient curse.
As part of the working out of this curse,
Agamemnon's father, Atreus, had quarreled violently
with his brother Thyestes.
As a result of this quarrel, Atreus had killed
Thyestes's sons and fed them to him at a
reconciliation banquet.
Thyestes, overcome with horror, produced a child
with his surviving daughter in order to have
someone to avenge the crime.
The offspring of that sexual union was Aegisthus.
Why does Clytaemnestra [Agamemnon’s
wife] want revenge on Agamemnon?
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Agamemnon calls his troops together to go
after Helen, but they commit a sin and the
Goddess punishes them by stopping the wind
so they cannot set sail.
In order to appease the Goddess,
Agamemnon must sacrifice his eldest
daughter Iphigenia.
Clytaemnestra cannot forgive Agamemnon
for killing their daughter in order to retrieve
the runaway Helen.
Major Theme of Revenge
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Agamemnon wants revenge for the wrong Paris did
to his brother Menelaus by stealing Menelaus’ wife
Helen.
Clytaemnestra wants revenge for the killing of her
daughter Iphigenia.
Aegithus wants revenge for the slaughter of his
family.
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Agamemnon is part of a three part play series. It shows
how unchecked revenge simply causes more death and
pain to those in power and everyone around them.
Understanding Drama
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Types of Drama
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Tragedy: [solemn, personal, religious & social issues –
often ends in death]
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Tragic Flaw [our hero often suffers from great pride (hubris)
and this leads to a grave mistake leading to tragedy]
Catharsis [Pity & Fear: The audience pities the actors
suffering on stage and fears they too might make a mistake
and suffer a similar fate]
Comedy: [humorous/solving – often ends in a marriage]
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Farce = Physical [think three stooges]
Satire = Morals/ Manners [makes fun of society and its ways]
Analyzing Drama: Setting
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Scenery- (location, time period, social class)
Lighting-(time, season, mood, action, character)
Costumes- (age, class, profession, ethnicity)
Props-(have significance)
In Agamemnon, remember we are in Ancient Greece
and Agamemnon is shown as king and
Clytaemnestra is queen [thus they wear fancy robes
and have beautiful masks].
Dramatic Structure
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Exposition ( who, what, where, when)
 Introduces our main characters, where and when they are, and
what is happening.
Conflict (Problem of main character)
 In Agamemnon, Agamemnon returns from Troy but both
Clytaemnestra and Aegisthus want revenge on him.
Climax (Pivotal point in action)
 In Agamemnon, this is where Cassandra tells of Agamemnon’s
death happening off stage.
Resolution ( How does it all work out?)
 In Agamemnon, at the end, Clytaemnestra and Aegisthus
succeed but the son of Agamemnon, Orestes, vows revenge on
them for his father’s death. Thus the circle of revenge will
continue.
Characters
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Types of Characters
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Protagonist vs. Antagonist
Confidant (friend or servant)
Stock characters: comic, victim, braggart, pretender, fool
We learn about characters
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Externally through names, appearance, physique, speech,
accent, dress, status, class, education, friends, family,
interests.
Internally through thoughts, feelings, emotions.
Dramatic Irony, Theme and Overall
Message
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Dramatic Irony : Contrast between what the
characters know and what the audience knows.
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Theme (s): Repeated ideas or messages throughout
the play.
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In Agamemnon, the audience and chorus knows
Clytaemnestra is up to no good, but Agamemnon does not.
In Agamemnon, the greatest theme is revenge.
Overall Message : What the playwright wants the
audience to think about the theme(s).
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In Agamemnon, the playwright wants the audience to
realize that the cycle of revenge must stop.