Antigone
Presentation Notes
Traditional Greek plays * Tragedy * Dramatic composition dealing with somber themes, typically of a great person destined through flaw of character or conflict with some overpowering force or society, to downfall or destruction * All violence to occur off stage and messenger tell you of what has occurred * Process of a tragic hero * A tragic hero is a man of Nobel stature. He is not an ordinary man, but a man with outstanding quality and greatness about him. His own destruction is for a greater cause of principle * Downfall due to pride-Hubris * Faced with doom from the beginning * Discovers his fate from his actions * Usually a leader of men-ex: King * Their fate affects the nation or a large number of people * Their suffering is not senseless * Most tragic hero’s are men, with a could examples of Antigone and Cleopatra * Athenian Tragedy * Oldest tragedy existing * Emerged during 6th century BC * Reached its peak as dramatic form in the 5th century * When &Where * Open air theatres * Could usually hold up 14,000 people * Backdrops * Tragedies took place in late March/early April * Great Dionysian festival-in Athens * SHAKESPERE WAS THE FIRST ONE TO BRING US DEATH ON STAGE
Sophocles and Greek Drama * Setting of Antigone * Persian wars * Thebes 441 BC * Time of national fever * Folly of tyranny criticized * Importance of Greek Myths * Sophocles * Son of a reputable and wealthy citizen * Introduced to great literature and plays of the age * Was taught music, art and poetry * Dramatic career started when he defeated the famous Aeschylus in a contest * Sophocles was chosen as the winner after the youth and freshness in his verses impressed and gained him a lot of popularity * Introduced the third actor on
Traditional Greek plays * Tragedy * Dramatic composition dealing with somber themes, typically of a great person destined through flaw of character or conflict with some overpowering force or society, to downfall or destruction * All violence to occur off stage and messenger tell you of what has occurred * Process of a tragic hero * A tragic hero is a man of Nobel stature. He is not an ordinary man, but a man with outstanding quality and greatness about him. His own destruction is for a greater cause of principle * Downfall due to pride-Hubris * Faced with doom from the beginning * Discovers his fate from his actions * Usually a leader of men-ex: King * Their fate affects the nation or a large number of people * Their suffering is not senseless * Most tragic hero’s are men, with a could examples of Antigone and Cleopatra * Athenian Tragedy * Oldest tragedy existing * Emerged during 6th century BC * Reached its peak as dramatic form in the 5th century * When &Where * Open air theatres * Could usually hold up 14,000 people * Backdrops * Tragedies took place in late March/early April * Great Dionysian festival-in Athens * SHAKESPERE WAS THE FIRST ONE TO BRING US DEATH ON STAGE
Sophocles and Greek Drama * Setting of Antigone * Persian wars * Thebes 441 BC * Time of national fever * Folly of tyranny criticized * Importance of Greek Myths * Sophocles * Son of a reputable and wealthy citizen * Introduced to great literature and plays of the age * Was taught music, art and poetry * Dramatic career started when he defeated the famous Aeschylus in a contest * Sophocles was chosen as the winner after the youth and freshness in his verses impressed and gained him a lot of popularity * Introduced the third actor on