Greek Tragedy

           

 

 

 

 

 

1.  Click on http://faculty.gvsu.edu/websterm/Tragedy.htm to complete. The Greek word tragoedia literally means ________________;  ancient drama competitions were held at Greek festivals in Athens, called City Dionysia,  in honor of Dionysos.  The Greek word for actor is ________________;  it is the source for our word “hypocrite.”

 

2.  Read the first and last paragraphs at http://dionysia.org/greek/dionysos/thompson/dionysos.html.  Dionysos is the god of ________________________ and _______________________,  __________________, and the _________________.  In the space below, explain how the Dionysian quality of “loss of identity” is related to the theatre.

 

 

 

3.Click http://www.didaskalia.net/studyarea/introtoancienttheatre.html. _____________ is credited with the idea of adding speaking actors to ancient Greek performances of song and dance.  How many people might comprise the audience at a play performed at a festival for Dionysos?  ______________

 

4.  Go to http://lilt.ilstu.edu/drjclassics/lectures/theater/ancient_greek_theater.shtm.

Look through the pictures of ancient Greek theaters.  List the 3 minimal requirements, as found in 164 theater excavations:

   I.

  II.

 III.

 

5.  Using the information at http://users.panafonet.gr/ekar/machin.html, list and describe three machines used in ancient Greek theater.

    I.

   II.

 III.

 

6.  Use http://concise.britannica.com/ebc/article-9362609/deus-ex-machina.

 

                        Define “deus ex machina” -                        

 

 

       Search on http://www.iolani.org/usacad_eng_eng10dterms_cw9404.htm.  Define:                

 

Skene-

 

Chorus-

 

Choragos-

 

 

 

Hamartia-

 

 

 

Hubris-

 

 

 

Catharsis-

 

 

 

7.  Click on http://novaonline.nvcc.edu/eli/spd130et/ancientgreek.htm.  List the three most important Greek tragedians, along with the dates of their lives, estimated number of plays written, and number of plays extant.

 

 

 

8.  Scroll down on this site and identify

Pericles:

 

 

9.  Scroll down further.  List and briefly describe the 4 qualities of Greek drama.

 

            I.

 

            II.

 

            III.

 

            IV.

 

 

10.  Further down on this site, find the six functions of the chorus in Greek drama:

 

            1)

            2)

            3)

            4)

            5)

            6)

 

SOPHOCLES            

 

11.  Use http://www.temple.edu/ih/Sophocles/Biography/index.htm to answer:  For how many plays did Sophocles win first prizes in the City Dionysia?_________

 

       Use http://www.online-literature.com/sophocles/ to answer questions 12-14.

12.  One of Sophocles’ innovations in the theatre was the addition of a third ________.

13.  _________________________________is generally considered Sophocles’ greatest work.

14.  Sophocles’ play Antigone illustrates the rival claims of __________________ and  ____________________.

 

15.  Go back to http://novaonline.nvcc.edu/eli/spd130et/ancientgreek.htm.

        Scroll down until you find “Characteristics of Sophocles’ plays.”  List any 5.

 

            1)

 

            2)

 

            3)

 

            4)

 

            5)

 

16.  EURIPIDES – on this same site, find the list of “Characteristics of Euripides’ plays.”

          List any 3.

 

            1)

 

            2)

 

            3)

 

Click on http://www.pantheon.org/articles/m/medea.html to answer the following:

 

17.  Who was Medea?

 

 

18.  Describe Medea’s ancestry.

 

19.  What was the golden fleece?  To whom did it belong?  What did Jason and the Argonauts have to do with it?

 

 

 

 

 

20.  How did Medea help Jason escape with the fleece?