CLA204H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Euripides, Ancient Greek Comedy, Talthybius
Document Summary
Criticized for being too clever, too focused on psychology. 7 plays survived in full introduced masks and props interested in religion, fate, justice, moral questions: sophocles. Quite innovative lessened the importance of the chorus: euripides. More realistic: note that these writers are in chronological order, based on myth, old comedy: aristophanes. Critical of war, politics, etc: new comedy: menander interested in conflict, character development, duty, etc. Late 6th century dithyrambs for dionysus: religious performance, cult of the dead. Huge, could contain up to 14000 people. Advanced features: cranes (to give the impression of a flying god ); wheeled platforms (to wheel in a dead corpse); etc. Strict rules that had to be followed. Maximum of 3 actors, all male, on stage at the same time comments or reacts on the episode. Action takes place off-stage announces it drinking. More famous for its comedy: only know of 5 tragedians, only have plays from plautus and terence.
