This document provides an overview of the origins and development of Greek theater from the 7th century BC through the 4th century BC. It discusses the social and economic conditions that allowed theater to emerge in Ancient Greece. It also profiles important playwrights like Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes, and Menander and describes the genres of tragedy, comedy, and satyr plays they helped develop. The document additionally outlines elements of Greek dramatic structure and the architectural features of Greek theaters.

1. HOMER
The Illiad
and
The Odyssey
7th century
B.C.

2. What was needed to create
theater in Greece:
A middle class to create/attend the
plays.
A sense of partiotism.
Spare time.
Relative peace and relative prosperity.
A stable economy.
A public sponsor and public
encouragement.
Appreciation for learning.

7. PISISTRATUS – 560 BCE to 510 BCE

8. PERSIAN EMPIRE IN 5TH CENTURY B.C.E.

9. Greece,
Circa 500 B.C.E.

15. PERICLES
495 B.C.E. to
429 B.C.E.
Ruled from
460 B.C.E. to
429 B.C.E.
'All kinds of enterprises
should be created which
will provide an inspiration
for every art, find
employment for every
hand... we must devote
ourselves to acquiring
things that will be the
source of everlasting
fame.'

16. Parthenon at the Acropolis
paid for, in part, by the Delian League

18. ATHENA AND
NIKE
Nashville,
Tennessee

19. NASHVILLE RECREATION

27. ARCHAIC
6th Century BC

28. SEVERE
Early 5th Century BC

29. CLASSICAL
Mid 5th Century BC

30. HELLENISTIC
4th Century BC

31. CONJECTURAL
MASK OF
DIONYSUS

32. DIONYSUS

33. DIONYSUS
Statue made 4th
Century B.C.E.—
Roman copy of
Greek original.

34. Modern Production at Epidaurus

37. MASKS OF TRAGEDY POSSIBLY CAST FROM
MASKS WORN BY GREEK ACTORS.

38. STRUCTURAL CONCEITS OF
GREEK TRAGEDY
•! Prologue (exposition)
•! Parados (entrance of the chorus)
•! Episode (two person scene)
•! Staisma (comment on the episode)
–! Episode and Staisma continue.
•! Exodos (resolution and exit)

40. Climax
Point of Attack
Falling
Action
Rising Action
Resolution
Inciting Incident

41. GENRES INVENTED BY THE
GREEKS
•! TRAGEDY
–! Character based, ends with the death or destruction
of a single main character. Based on mythology.
•! SATYR
–! Plot based, bawdy parody of serious stories from
mythology.
•! OLD COMEDY
–! Character based critiques of the social norms. New
story ideas.
•! NEW COMEDY
–! Plot based, formulaic plays about young lovers being
kept apart by their parents – aka domestic comedies.

42. THE POETICS BY ARISTOTLE
•! Written after the fact (circa 330 B.C.E.)
•! Praises Sophocles over Euripides
•! Three Unities
–! Space
–! Time
–! Action
•! One character – single action
•! No subplots

43. Satyr – modern depiction

44. SATYR MASK

45. Vase Painting of
A Satyr Play.

46. THE GREAT GREEK
PLAYWRIGHTS
•! Aescylus (523 to 456 BC) Tragedy and Satyr
•! Sophocles (490 – 406 BC) Tragedy and Satyr
•! Euripides (480 – 406 BC) Tradedy and Satyr
•! Aristophanes (445 to 385 BC) Old Comedy
•! Menander (342 – 292 BC) New Comedy

47. AESCHYLUS
523 B.C.E. to
456 B.C.E.

52. Orestes kills Aegisthus, Clytemnestra flees

53. Apollo cleanses Orestes with pig’s blood.

54. Clytemnestra tries to awaken furies.

56. Modern production of The Oresteia

57. Oresteia at Thick Description, San Jose

58. SOPHOCLES
496 B.C.E to
406 B.C.E.

59. Oedipus Rex

61. TYRONE GUTHRIE
OEDIPUS REX
Contemporary production of Oedipus Rex

62. Jocasta

63. Expressionistic production of Oedipus Rex

64. Euripides
480 BC to 406 BC

65. Medea with two
doomed children.
Roman copy, 2nd
Century C.E.

66. Media’s
chariot

69. Jason and Medea

70. JASON AND MEDEA
AUSTRALIAN PRODUCTION

72. MEDEA AT ANTIOCH

73. ARISTOPHANES
445 B.C.E. – 385 B.C.E.

74. Vase Painting, possibly of THE BIRDS

75. Possible depiction of THE BIRDS

76. Comedy Mask of
Old Man

77. MASKS OF COMEDY

78. Modern set design for The Birds

79. Modern mask and costume for The Birds

80. LYSISTRATA at Mt. SAC

81. MENANDER
342 B.C.E to
292 B.C.E.

82. Menander with masks
Menander and masks

83. Differences between Old and New Comedy
•! OLD COMEDY •! NEW COMEDY
–! New stories based on –! Formulaic stories based on
pursuit of a “Happy Idea” love interest and flawed
character
–! Political in nature –! Domestic in nature
–! Episodic –! Five acts
–! Chorus is integral –! Chorus is incidental
–! Mystical and varied –! Street setting, likely on the
settings (likely on the skena, with three
orchestra) doorways.
–! Polite
–! Crass and sexual –! Pedestrian dialogue
–! High verse

84. Greek Architecture and Stagecraft

85. Greek Theater, plan view

90. Deus ex Machina
or Mechane:
conjectural drawing

93. Deus ex Machina
Conjectural drawing

94. Ekkeklema

95. TWO MODERN CONJECTURES FOR THE EKKYKLEMA

96. PINAKES

97. Periaktoi

99. This Roman statue may
depict a Greek tragic actor.
There is scant evidence that
Kothurnae were worn in
5th Century B.C.E., but
possibly they were used in
4th Century B.C.E.

100. Modern Depictions of Cothurnae

109. Oedipus Rex

117. TYRONE GUTHRIE
OEDIPUS REX
Contemporary production of Oedipus Rex