Transcript Chapter 12
Chapter 12 Context • Roman theatre appeared in 240 BCE • We don’t know much about the theatres because they were made of wood, but during this era, we know more about the plays (BCE) • But when we know more about the theatres, we don’t know much about the plays (CE) • Steeped in Hellenistic traditions Drama • Tragic plays that were performed didn’t survive, the ones that did were never intended for performance • Rome was not interested in tragedy • Comedy was more popular – Written about Greeks – Written about Romans – Middle or lower class portrayed in costume Playwrights • Plautus and Terence – Wrote during second century BCE about Athenian MC – Didn’t have chorus – Used Greek New Comedy Plautus • • • • Older Actor and playwright 100 attributed works, 27 have survived Qualities of his plays – – – – Linked episodes Visual gags and wordplay Ludicrous appearance and behavior of characters Direct audience address • Sometimes performed today Terence • • • • • • • Wrote more refined comedies More thoughtful; less fun Combination of Gk plots in dramatic action Unusual prologues Carefully contrived actions Normal appearance of characters and actions Almost never performed today Important Texts • Virtruvius-Achitectura-how to lay out a city; included how to build a theatre and scenery • Horace- Ars Poetica (similar to Poetics’ influence); how to write a play – Keep comedy and tragedy separate – Need for unity of time and place and unity of action – Need for drama to teach and please – Influenced Renaissance theory more than Hellenistic • Seneca-set of texts; tragedies • Characteristics – Chorus not integrated into action as choral odes to divide the play into 5 parts – Protagonists driven by single passion leads to downfall – Minor characters: messengers, confidants, ghosts – Language- rhetorical and stylistic – Spectacular scenes of violence and gore • Influenced Renaissance writers Theatre Buildings • Stone theatres might be like what the wooden theatres looked like • Aisles were for audiences, not the chorus • Place for orchestra • One unit for theatre rather than two separate as with Gk theatre • Façade stage was elaborate with protective roof Theatrics • Atellan farce • Pantomime • Miming – – – – – Included women performers Mimes didn’t wear masks Beauty and grotesque were appealing Dealt with contemporary life issues Christians opposed the rawness of this type of theatrical expression which was seen in the amphitheatres and circuses of Rome Rise of the Byzantine Empire and Theatre • Rome became to large to govern and so it split into two. • Constantinople became a new capital and Constantine took most of the Roman population with him • Christianity (Orthodox) became the official state religion; used Greek influence • Little is known of theatre during this time – Uneducated in the language – Iron curtain • What we know: – Miming continued – Gk tragedy – Performances in Ukraine