Greek Theater Essay Research Paper The actors

Greek Theater Essay, Research Paper

The actors and the chorus – Costumes and scenic appearance

The actors

At first in dithyrambous, there were no actors. Thespis was the poet who imported the first hypocrite, Aeschylos the second and Sophocles the third one. Besides these actors, who were playing the leading parts, there were also some other persons on the orchestra (stage), playing “dumb” roles (the “followers”).

At the beginning the actors were being chosen by the poets. In the 5th century they were being chosen by the State.

The hypocrites were always men, even if they were playing female roles. In order to have a female appearance, they were playing wearing the “prosternida” before the chest and the “progastrida” before the belly. In order to look taller and more impressive they were wearing “cothornous” (wooden shoes with tall heels). These shoes were the same for both legs (no right and left). They were dressed in long robes with vertical stripes.

The most essential part of their disguise was the mask. These masks were made ad hoc and they had big holes for the mouth and the eyes. The mask was absolutely necessary as it was necessary in the dionyssiac religion.

The chorus

Up to the point when Sophocles imported his innovations in drama, the chorus consisted from 12 members. Sophocles added three more. The 15 members of the chorus were entering the orchestra in rows ( usually face=3, depth=5 ), which means that although in old dithyrambous the chorus was making a circle, in ancient theater the chorus was making squares.

The chorus was entering from the two “parodos”. His appearance was depending on the play. For the tragedy the chorus was very solemn and it was called “emmelia”. In comedies it was funny and it was called “codrax”, when in satyric drama it was scoptic and it was called “sicinnis”.

The chorus, who was considered to be the mouthpiece of society (in its humble form) and morality, was suffering along with the heroes.

LANGUAGE AND METRICS

Ancient theater was born in Athens, therefore its language was the attic, although it was not the only one ever used. In the epic part of tragedy (prologos, epeissodia, exodos), is used the attic language. In the lyrics (parodos, stassima) is used the attic with many doric elements.

Variant meters were being used in ancient theater :

+ The iambic trimetron was used in dialogue parts of the play

+ The trochaic tetrametron was also used sometimes in dialogs

+ The anapestic dimetron is used for parades and mourning. The chorus of Sophocles and Evripides was leaving the orchestra singing in anapestic meter.

+ The dactylic exameter : rarely used in some satyric dramas

The most common was the iambic trimetron. The iambos was made of two feet (two feet=one meter).

Description of a Theater of 5th Century B.C.

The ancient Greek theater was composed by three major parts: the Orchestra, the Scene and the main theater, called Koilon.

The Orchestra was the almost circular place, situated in front of the scene (stage) facing the audience. At the center of the orchestra was situated the Thymeli, which at the early years was meant to be an altar and later on, a place, where the leader of the chorus (koryphaios) was standing. Some archaeological research in the Athens aerea gave some clues for the existence of rectangular orchestras in some ancient Greek theaters, but the circular shape was the dominant one and also the closest to the dionyssiac cult (the circle was supposed to have supernatural power). The orchestra was the acting place, especially in the early years, although gradually the action moved from the orchestra on the scene and -if we want to be more specific-in front of the scene, which part was called Proscenio, because it was situated in front of the scene (pro+scene).

The side of the Scene facing the audience, served for background as it was decorated as a Palace or a Temple. The scene had one or three entrances for the actors. Later on, as scenography (i.e. theatrical painting) developed, they were placing on the background painted tables with other themes, such as woods, army camps etc.

Between the scene and the seats, there are two entrances, called Parodoi, one on the right and one on the left, from which the chorus and the persons coming from the outside (i.e. not from the Temple nor the Palace) were entering the scene. If someone was entering from the right parodos, that meant that he was coming from the city or the port. If he was coming from the left parodos, he was coming from the fields or abroad.

At the back of the scene the were two buildings with doors, that let on the Proscenio and as far as their decoration is concerned, they might extend the theme of the scene or even present another theme.

Along the back wall of the scene was built a narrow but raised platform, the Logeion. It was a place designed just for the actors, by which they got separated from the chorus. It is certain that this happened sometime in the Hellenistic period, because in the classical theater there were no Logeion and the performance was taking place strictly on the orchestra.

The flat roof of the scene was dedicated to gods and it was called Theologian (theos=god).

The Koilon (or Theatron) was

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