Transcript Greek Drama - Shoreline School District

Origins of Drama



Drama was seen as a
gift from the Gods and
Gods were to be honored
through it
Chorus + Actors +
Dialogue = Greek
Drama!
Play writes were also
the lead actor, the
choreographer, the
costumer, the composer
and the director.
Other Elements
Aristotle’s Six Elements of Drama
 Plot
 Thought/Theme
 Character
 Music
 Spectacle
(Setting)
 Diction/Language
Greek Drama: The Tragedy
Tragedy is meant to reaffirm that life is
worth living, regardless of suffering or
pain
 Conflict between people and the
universe
 The Tragic Hero asks the first and last of
all questions: What does it mean to be?

Tragedy: The Hero
 Comes
from
Nobility
 Tragic Flaw
 Undergoes a
Reversal of
Fortune
 Has a Downfall
 Recognizes his
Mistakes
Greek Drama: Comedy
Comedies were NOT intended to make a
broader social comment
 Average people whose fortunes went
from bad to good
 It had to be more believable than tragedy
 Today: Sitcoms

Comedy: The Structure
 Introduce
the problem
 The outrageous solution is proposed
 Solution is acted on
 In the middle of all this, the chorus
would address the audience about a
(sometimes loosely related) political
or social problem
 Everyone reconciles in a very happy
final scene
Polis Drama Competition!
In
your polis teams
you will interpret an
everyday issue into
a Greek comedy or
tragedy