THEA 200 – Final || with Complete Solutions.
Festival of Dionysus correct answers Greek drama was presented originally exclusively at
festivals honoring the wine and fertility god Dionysus
By the 5th century AD Athens held 4 festivals in honor of Dionysus each year, where theatre was
performed at 3 of these
9 tragedies and 3 satyr plays were presented at each City Dionysus, a total of 9,000 tragedies
during the 5th century of these only 32 have survived , all written by three dramatists
City Dionysia correct answers The major Athenian festival was the City Dionysia; was an
important chance to show off wealth and power
Theatrical performances were offerings of the city to a god and to show superiority over
neighboring Greek states
First record of an Athenian theatrical event was the establishment in 534 BC of a contest for the
best tragedy
First winner of this contest was Thespis, the first actor and whose name helped derive the word
thespian, still used in theatrical reference to actors
9 tragedies and 3 satyr plays were presented at each City Dionysus, a total of 9,000 tragedies
during the 5th century of these only 32 have survived , all written by three dramatists
Thespis correct answers First record of an Athenian theatrical event was the establishment in 534
BC of a contest for the best tragedy
First winner of this contest was Thespis, the first actor and whose name helped derive the word
thespian, still used in theatrical reference to actors
Characteristics of Tragedy correct answers The oldest known form of drama, tragedy, presents a
genuinely mysterious action and maintains a serious tone moments of comic relief
Raises significant questions about human existence, morality, or human relationships -->
protagonist is someone who arouses our sympathy and admiration, but encounters disaster
through the pursuit of some goal that conflicts with another goal or principle
The word tragedy means "goat song" perhaps referring to goats sacrificed to Dionysus before
performances or to goat-skins worn by the actors
Satyr Play correct answers A satyr play was short, comic or satiric in tone, poked fun at some
Greek myth using a chorus of satyrs, and was presented following tragedies
Only remaining Satyr play is Cyclops by Euripides
,9 tragedies and 3 satyr plays were presented at each City Dionysus, a total of 9,000 tragedies
during the 5th century of these only 32 have survived , all written by three dramatists
Cyclops by Euripides correct answers Only remaining Satyr play is Cyclops by Euripides
Aeschylus correct answers (523-456 BC)
Member of the Athenian nobility who distinguished himself in the war against Persia
He wrote 8 plays total of which 7 survived
Most famous of his plays include: The Persians, Prometheus Bound, and The Orestia (which is a
trilogy of three plays: Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers, and The Furies)
The plays that remain are somewhat crude in comparison with Sophocles but they show heroic
figures wrestling with significant philosophical issues
Sophocles correct answers (496-406 BC)
From a wealthy family and well educated
He served as one of ten generals, the highest elected officials of the Athenian state
He wrote more than 120 plays total and won 24 contests for these, more than any other Greek
dramatist
Only 7 of his plays have survived, the most famous of which include: Antigone, Ajax and
Oedipus Rex
Euripides correct answers (486 - 406 BC)
One of the last great Greek Dramatists wrote about 90 plays of which 18 have survived
Some of his most famous include: Medea, The Trojan Women, Electra, and the Bacchae; he is
also the author of Cyclops, the only remaining satyr play
In his work, he questioned many Athenian beliefs and customs and as such was rarely honored
during his lifetime
He was often denounced for his graphic or crude subject matter and for suggesting the Gods of
the Greek myth were morally corrupt
Aristotle correct answers
, Theatre of Dionysus correct answers Plays were performed at the theatre of Dionysus on the
slope of the hill just beneath the Athenian Acropolis located in a structure that included a temple
and large outdoor altar
Originally the slope was called the theatron, or the "seeing place" which is where the word
theatre comes from
A flat terrace below the slope served as the orchestra, or "dancing place"
The arrangement was then converted into a permanent structure, with the auditorium becoming a
semi circle of stadium-like stone seats not completed until the end of the 4th century
The structure held at least 14,000 to 17,000 spectators, and the audience sat according to social
status and gender, although all were allowed to attend (including slaves)
On the orchestra side opposite the audience was a skene (a hut or tent) , which is the origin of
our word, scene
The original structure is believed to be a place where the actors could retire or change costumes
It was then developed into an elaborate 75-100ft long structure that was 2 stories high
The roof was used to represent a high place, like the dwelling of the gods
It was an architectural background of all plays, no matter the set
The spaces, called parodoi, on either side of the skene and the auditorium were used for the
entrances and exits, especially of the chorus
Action in Greek plays largely took place outdoors
Another common occurrence was the appearance of the God(s); the roof was used but sometimes
the Gods had to descend to the mortal realms
To do this, a cranelike device - the machina - was used; the overuse of which led to the contrived
ending being labeled deus ex machine (god from the machine)
Deus Ex Machina correct answers Another common occurrence was the appearance of the
God(s); the roof was used but sometimes the Gods had to descend to the mortal realms
To do this, a cranelike device - the machina - was used; the overuse of which led to the contrived
ending being labeled deus ex machine (god from the machine)
Greek Chorus correct answers A tragic chorus was comprised of 15 men; a playwright at City
Dionysus had to apply to the government for permission to use a chorus
