Term
| Prologue (dramatic structure) |
|
Definition
| separate introductory section of a literary or musical work |
|
|
Term
| Parados (dramatic structure) |
|
Definition
| entrance affording access either to the stage (for actors) or to the orchestra (for the chorus) of the ancient Greek theater. |
|
|
Term
| Episode (dramatic structure) |
|
Definition
| An incident or an event that is part of a progression or a larger sequence |
|
|
Term
| Stasimon (dramatic structure) |
|
Definition
| a choral ode, especially in tragedy, divided into strophe and antistrophe: usually alternating with the epeisodion and, in the final ode, preceding the exodos. |
|
|
Term
| Exodos (dramatic structure) |
|
Definition
| : The last piece of a Greek tragedy, an episode occurring after the last choral ode and ended by the ceremonial exit of all the actors. |
|
|
Term
| Epilogue (dramatic structure) |
|
Definition
| a section or speech at the end of a book or play that serves as a comment on or a conclusion to what has happened. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the god of the grape harvest, winemaking and wine, of ritual madness and ecstasy in Greek mythology |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| large festival in ancient Athens in honor of the god Dionysus, the central events of which were the theatrical performances of dramatic tragedies and, from 487 BC, comedies. It was the second-most important festival after the Panathenaia. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| comes from the Greek word for four because there were four plays performed by each writer. The tetralogy consisted of three tragedies followed by a satyr play, created by each playwright for the City Dionysia competition. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Flourished 16th century bc. Greek poet, first actor in greek drama. Often called the inventor of tragety. First to stage tragety at The Great Dionysia. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Greek dramatist, regarded as the father of Greek tragedy. Seven of his plays are extant, including Seven Against Thebes , The Persians , Prometheus Bound , and the trilogy of the Oresteia |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Greek dramatist; author of seven extant tragedies: Ajax, Antigone, Oedipus Rex, Trachiniae, Electra, Philoctetes , and Oedipus at Colonus |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Greek dramatist who ranks with Sophocles and Aeschylus as the greatest classical tragedians. He wrote more than 90 tragedies, although only 18, including Medea, Hippolytus, and The Trojan Women, survive in complete form. |
|
|
Term
| Aristophanes (playwright) |
|
Definition
| 448?–385? b.c, Greek comic dramatist, who satirized leading contemporary figures such as Socrates and Euripides. Eleven of his plays are extant, including The Clouds, The Frogs, The Birds, and Lysistrata |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Also known as the classical unities or Aristotelian unities are rules for drama derived from a passage in Aristotle's Poetics. |
|
|
Term
| Unity of Action (Greek unity #1) |
|
Definition
| a play should have one main action that it follows, with no or few subplots. |
|
|
Term
| Unity of Place (Greek Unity #2) |
|
Definition
| a play should cover a single physical space and should not attempt to compress geography, nor should the stage represent more than one place. |
|
|
Term
| Unity of Time (reek Unity #3) |
|
Definition
| the action in a play should take place over no more than 24 hours. |
|
|
Term
| Aristotle's #1 requirement for classic tragedy: |
|
Definition
| “the imitation of an action that is serious and also, as having magnitude, complete in itself;" This means that a good tragedy deals with one issue that is very “serious.” You can’t have a tragedy about something trivial like breaking a fingernail |
|
|
Term
| Aristotle's #2 requirement for classic tragedy: |
|
Definition
“in appropriate and pleasurable language:” Aristotle said that the language should be easy to listen to. It should have rhythm and also good
harmony for the lines that were sung. |
|
|
Term
| Aristotle's #3 requirement for classic tragedy: |
|
Definition
“in a dramatic rather than narrative form;” To narrate a story is simply to tell the story, like telling a friend what happened over the w eekend. In a play, the story
must be dramatized or acted out. |
|
|
Term
| Aristotle's #4 requirement for classic tragedy: |
|
Definition
“with incidents arousing pity and fear,”In a tragedy, the events or episodes in the play should lead the audience to feel very sorry for the main character--the
tragic hero. The audience should also feel afraid for the hero as he moves toward a destructive end. |
|
|
Term
| Aristotle's #5 requirement for classic tragedy: |
|
Definition
“wherewith to accomplish a catharsis of these emotions.”As the play moves along, the events should build up the emotions of pity and fear. A catharsis is a purging, or
cleansing of the emotions--a release of tension. |
|
|
Term
| Function #1 for greek chorus: |
|
Definition
| offered a variety of background and summary information to help the audience follow the performance. |
|
|
Term
| Function #2 for greek chorus: |
|
Definition
| commented on themes, and demonstrated how the audience might react to the drama. |
|
|
Term
| Function #3 for greek chorus: |
|
Definition
| expressed to the audience what the main characters could not say, such as their hidden fears or secrets. The chorus often provided other characters with the insight they needed |
|
|
Term
| Function #4 for greek chorus: |
|
Definition
| represents, on stage, the general population of the particular story, in sharp contrast with many of the themes of the ancient Greek plays which tended to be about individual heroes, gods, and goddesses. |
|
|
Term
| Orchestra (theater structure) |
|
Definition
| The term orchestra derives from the Greek, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus. |
|
|
Term
| Skene (theater structure) |
|
Definition
| a structure facing the audience and forming the background before which performances were given. |
|
|
Term
| Theatron (theater structure) |
|
Definition
| the "seeing place," on semi circle terraced rows of benches (in early times, they were wooden. Later, they were built of stone) |
|
|
Term
| Parados (theater structure) |
|
Definition
| referring either to a side-entrance, or to the first song sung by the chorus after its entrance from the side wings. |
|
|
Term
| Proskenion (theater structure) |
|
Definition
| In a Hellenistic theatre, the proskenion is a raised platform in front of the skênê, on which the actors perform. |
|
|
Term
| Ekkyklema (scenic device) |
|
Definition
| stage mechanism consisting of a low platform that rolled on wheels or revolved on an axis and could be pushed onstage to reveal an interior or some offstage scene such as a tableau. |
|
|
Term
| Periaktoi (scenic device) |
|
Definition
| device used for displaying and rapidly changing theatre scenes. It was first mentioned in Vitruvius' book on architecture |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| device, usually temporary, placed between slots on stage to depict certain events. They were painted panels often being scenic placed between openings called thyromatas. These panels being temporary so they could be changed throughout the play. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Stage device in Greek and Roman drama in which a god appeared in the sky by means of a crane (Greek, mechane) to resolve the plot of a play. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| significant element in the worship of Dionysus at Athens, likely used in ceremonial rites and celebrations. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| form of clothing and is a sewn garment, unlike the peplos, a draped garment held on the shoulders by a fibula. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| any of various hip-length or knee-length garments, such as the loose sleeveless garb worn in ancient Greece or Rome, the jacket of some soldiers, or a woman's hip-length garment, worn with a skirt or trousers |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| a short, fine woolen mantle worn by men in ancient Greece |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| garment consisting of a rectangular piece of cloth thrown over the left shoulder and wrapped about the body |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| large headpiece, containing a mask, worn by actors in the Greek theater. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| the platform boot worn by actors. |
|
|
