Bell Work
• Define what Loyalty means to you.
Who are you loyal to? Who are others
loyal to? What does it mean if
something you are loyal to is not the
same as someone else? Write 3-5
sentences.
Intro to Greek Tragedies and
Antigone
Learning Objectives
• Identify characteristics of classical
drama
• Analyze theme and conflict
• Analyze and evaluate style
• Research word definitions and
connotations
• Build academic vocabulary
• Analyze Literature
Vocabulary in Context
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decree
carrion
auspicious
scavenging
comprehensive
intolerable
senile
demoralizing
sultry
anarchy/anarchist
Vocabulary in Context
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deflects
furrows
yoke
lithe
edict
insolence
brazen
transcends
deference
subordinate
Vocabulary in Context
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absolve
blasphemy
lamentation
dirges
transgress
profane
entrails
defile
citadel
crevice
Greek Tragedy Terminology
Catastrophe
• A disastrous conclusion usually involving
multiple deaths. If the tragic hero survives,
he suffers complete ruin.
Chorus
• A masked group
of actors who
intermittently
appear on stage
to comment on the
plot—usually
through song.
• Choragus =
chorus leader
Fate
• Meaning 1: Preordained destiny
• Meaning 2: The Fates, or Moirai, are the three
goddesses of fate (particularly death and pain).
Tragic Hero
• Protagonist, or central character (good guy)
• Usually fails or dies (with dignity) because
of character flaw
• High rank or status
• Shows strength while facing fate
This is Zorro. He was an awesome
hero from long ago. You’ve probably
never heard of him because your
generation has replaced real heroes
with Barbies like Zac Efron and
Channing Tatum.
Tragic Flaw
Take a moment to
brainstorm
archetypal
character flaws
with a partner
[I don’t get it either.]
Tragic Hero
• Anakin Skywalker?
• Batman?
• Severus Snape?
Tragic Hero Qualities
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Hubris: arrogance
Catharsis: a move from ignorance to knowledge
Hamartia: weakness that causes downfall
Nemesis: fate that cannot be escaped
Hugh the Pirate
Classical Greek Drama
• Developed by the Greeks to analyze the
human/diety relationship.
• Most modern religions:
– God is the model for man
• Greek mythology:
– Man is the model for the gods
Two Forms of Greek Drama
Tragedy
Comedy
• Human suffering
• Religious celebrations;
solemn, poetic, philosophic
• Based on myth
• Imperfect hero confronted by
a difficult moral choice or
conflict
• Struggle usually ends in
defeat and death; happy
endings not unheard of.
• About human comedy
• Social commentary, farce
and parody
• Contemporary
• Satire (brief comic parody of
myth)
• New Comedy (a comedy of
errors or situation comedy)
Tragedy
• Antigone
• Hamlet
• Romeo and Juliet
Comedy
• A Midsummer Night’s
Dream
• 10 Things I Hate About
You
Drama through Festival
Dionysian was a large religious festival in
ancient Athens in honor of the god Dionysus, the
central event of which was the performance of
tragedies and comedies.
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Celebration of vines and fertility.
Contests, dancing, and singing
Performances from Choruses
Possible for spectators to visit more
than one festival; an excuse for
Athenians to travel.
• Ritual at Rural Dionysia (7th & 6th cent. B.C.)
– Origins in orations or choral hymns to Dionysis during rural
festivals
– Chorus and Actors (“answerer” to chorus)
– Religious celebration
• Performance at City Dionysia (5th & 4th C. B.C.)
– Social-Religious Commentary & Entertainment
Mythological Influence
Zeus
King of the Gods and ruler of Mount
Olympus; god of the sky, thunder, and
justice.
Hera
Queen of the Gods and of the heavens;
goddess of women, marriage, and
motherhood.
Poseidon
Lord of the Sea; god of the seas,
earthquakes, created horses.
Demeter
Goddess of fertility, agriculture,
nature, and the seasons.
Aphrodite
Goddess of love, beauty, desire, and
fertility
Apollo
The Sun God; god of light, healing,
music, poetry, prophecy, archery and
truth
The Theatre
•Orchestra: “dancing
space” used by chorus;
often included an altar
(thymele).
•Skene: “tent” or structure
behind the stage, with
doors and upper levels.
•Parodos: “passageways”
by which the chorus and
actors entered and existed
the stage area.
•Theatron: “viewing-place”
usually part of a hillside
overlooking the orchestra.
Parts of a Greek Tragedy
Simple Structure: Prologue spoken, chorus enters (singing and dancing) with
additional scenes that alternate between spoken sections and song
Prologue: Usually gives mythological background
Parodos: Sung by the chorus; it enters dancing
Episodes: This is the first of many "episodes” (literally “between odes”), when the
characters and chorus talk and main action occurs.
Ode: At the end of each episode, the actors leave the stage and the chorus dances
and sings a choral ode summarizing the episode. The rest of the play is an alternation
between episodes and odes, until the final scene.
Exodos: Chorus exits singing a processional song which usually offers words of
wisdom related to the play.
About Sophocles (480-406 B.C.)
• A prominent citizen of Athens
known for his musical, poetic
and dramatic talents
• Wrote 127+ tragedies; only
seven survive
• His works always contain a
moral lesson—usually a
caution against pride and
religious indifference
• Most admired for his “Theban”
plays—three tragedies about
King Oedipus of Thebes and
his family
Antigone
• Chronologically, it is the third of the three
Theban plays but was written first
• First performed in 442 B.C.
• It is a story that pits the law of the gods“unwritten law”-against the laws of
humankind, family ties against civic duty,
and man against woman.
• Antigone
• Oedipus Rex
• Oedipus at Colonus
Antigone’s Family Tree
Laius, King of Thebes
• Chains Oedipus on the mountain to die.
• Found by King of Corinth.
• As a teenager, his approached by a
shephard who warns him of a strange fate
to befall him.
• Decides to travel to Thebes to escape his
fate.
• On the journey, his chariot meets another.
• Road rage. Kills the owner. Travels on.
• Thebes falls under plague of Sphinx.
• Sphinx gives approaching Oedipus a
riddle. Once solved correctly, he wins the
throne and a wife.
• Jacosta and Oedipus have 4 children
(these are the main characters of
Antigone):
– Etecoles
– Polyneices
– Antigone
– Ismene
• Oedipus sends Creon (Jacosta’s brother)
to Tireseas (the oracle) to determine how
they can end the play that is destroying
the city. Tireseas says they must find
Laius’ murderer.
• Oedipus summons the oracle, but
Tireseas refuses to speak to him.
• Oedipus mocks the prophet.
• Tireseas vaguely hints at a dramatic
incestuous history.
• Oedipus confides in Jacosta.
• Jacosta laughs off the prophesy saying
her first son had died. Her first husband
was murdered at a crossroads.
• The prophesy clicks. Oedipus suddenly
understands.
• Messenger enters and says Oedipus’
father is dead. (His adopted father that he
doesn’t know is his adopted father.)
• He rejoices! Yay! The prophesy is wrong!
• A shepard shows up and confirms the
prophesy.
• Just kidding! That stuff DID happen!
• Jacosta kills herself. Oedipus blinds
himself.
• Antigone remains loyal to father until he
dies.
• In the meantime, TWO sons (Eteocles and
Polynices) are alive to inherit the throne.
• The solution: they’ll take turns in four-year
increments
– What could go wrong?
Interesting stuff aside…
You NEED to know:
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Eteocles didn’t want to give up the throne.
Polynices gathered an army and killed him.
Polynices was killed.
Creon, the brother in law, assumes power.
Creon refuses a proper burial for Polynices.
A burial refusal is equivalent to eternal
damnation, embarrassment, and
humiliation.
Antigone:
Summary of the Prologue
• Creon has decided that only Eteocles will get a burial.
• Creon’s reign is new: he’s still forging his reputation.
• Antigone believes it is her sacred duty to bury her
brother and asks Ismene to help.
• Ismene refuses, fearing repercussions from disobeying
the king’s command.
Antigone: Cast of Characters
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Antigone
Ismene
Creon
Haemon
Euydice
Teiresias
Chorus
Choragus
Sentry
Messenger