Sophocles was an important influence on the development of the drama, most importantly by adding
a third actor
(and thereby reducing the importance of the Chorus in the presentation of the plot) and by developing his characters to a greater extent than earlier playwrights such as Aeschylus.
What did Sophocles add to his plays?
Sophocles influenced the development of drama, most importantly by adding a third actor (attributed to Sophocles by Aristotle; to Aeschylus by Themistius), thereby reducing the importance of the
chorus
in the presentation of the plot. He also developed his characters to a greater extent than earlier playwrights.
What three things did Sophocles add to Greek?
He is credited with diverging from the typical format of a tragedy:
he increased the number of speaking actors, increased the number of chorus members, and used painted scenery
.
What influenced Greek tragedy?
Greek tragedy and the Greek theater influenced each other in such a way that the discussion of one necessarily involves the other. As Greek tragedy developed from
hymns of praise to local gods to the complex works of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides
, the theater adapted accordingly.
How did Sophocles change the chorus during his time?
Who was Sophocles?
He added a third actor
and changed the chorus to 15 people. He also introduced painted scenery (proskenion). His characters were vivid.
Does Creon say he want to be king?
Creon is saying
that he has no ambitions of becoming ruler
. He has everything he wants. This rings true, because when Laius was killed, Creon could have had the throne—in fact, that was what Laius wanted. Instead, he offered it to anyone who could free Thebes from the Sphinx by solving its riddle.
What are the four major qualities of a Greek drama?
The four major qualities of Greek drama were that they were performed for special occasions (such as festivals),
they were competitive (prizes were awarded for the best show)
, they were choral (singing was a large part of drama, and the chorus was all men, about 3 to 50 of them), and they were closely associated with …
Who is the famous tragedies of Sophocles?
Only seven of Sophocles’ tragedies are extant:
Philoctetes, Ajax, Electra, Trachiniae (Women of Trachis)
, and the Oedipal Trilogy (also known as the Oedipal Cycle) consisting of Oedipus Tyrannus (Oedipus the King), Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone.
Who is with Oedipus when he dies?
When Oedipus is born,
Laius
ties his hands and feet and leaves him on a mountainside to die. A shepherd rescues Oedipus and brings him to the king of Corinth, who raises Oedipus. After reaching manhood, Oedipus sets out on a journey. He meets an old man at a crossroads who is attended by five servants.
Which civilization made tragedy into an art?
Antigone/
Greek
Theater notes. He was the author of Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at Colonus and Antigone. This civilization made tragedy into an art.
What are 3 rules that Greek tragedy must follow?
Unities, in drama, the three principles derived by French classicists from Aristotle’s Poetics; they require a play to have a single action represented as occurring in a single place and within the course of a day. These principles were called, respectively,
unity of action, unity of place, and unity of time.
How does a Greek tragedy begin?
The structure of Greek tragedy is characterized by a set of conventions. The tragedy usually begins with
a prologue
, (from pro and logos, “preliminary speech”) in which one or more characters introduce the drama and explain the background of the ensuing story.
What does tragedy mean in Greek?
The word “tragedy” comes from the Greek words
tragos
, which means goat and oide, which means song. A tragedy is a dramatic poem or play in formal language and in most cases has a tragic or unhappy ending.
What does a chorus do in a Greek tragedy?
The chorus in Classical Greek drama was a group of actors who described and commented
upon the main action of a play with song, dance, and recitation
.
What is the leader of a Greek chorus called?
Greek choruses originally had anywhere between 12 and 50 singers and dancers, but many modern iterations of the Greek chorus are smaller. There is always a chorus leader, called
the coryphaeus
, who speaks for the rest of the group.
Why did the Greek chorus wear masks?
Masks served several important purposes in Ancient Greek theater:
their exaggerated expressions helped define the characters the actors were playing
; they allowed actors to play more than one role (or gender); they helped audience members in the distant seats see and, by projecting sound somewhat like a small megaphone …
