Greek Culture
The Greek Stage
Name. That. GOD.
The Greek Tragedy
How 'Bout them LITERARY DEVICES
100

Athens and Sparta dominated ancient Greece with their cultural and military achievements during this time period BCE.

What is between the fourth and fifth centuries BCE?

100

This was the annual playwright competition that would happen twice a year. Playwrights would submit plays and they would compete for glory (and a goat).

What is City Dionysia?

100

This god is the god of parties, wine, and fertility and is the god of THEATRE! 


Who is Dionysis?

100

Greek playwrights would write their tragedies in 3's, also known as this.

What is a trilogy?

100

This is the introduction to the main character and background of the play.

what is the Prologue?

200

This is the mountain that the Gods and Goddesses resided in.

What is Mount Olympus?

200

The plays were performed in these types of theaters: which were outdoor venues with large, tiered, semicircular seating areas and a neutral playing space in front.

What is an amphitheater?

200

This god is the KING OF GODS, his Roman name is Jupiter.


Who is Zeus?

200

This homie was considered the first actor, it's where the word "thespians" came from.


Who is Thespis?

200

Greek tragedies were split into these, a lot like sitcoms today.

what is an episode? 

300

This city became the educational and cultural center of Ancient Greece.

Where is Athens?

300

The back of the playing space was a building or hut called a _________.  This was a covered structure where the actors stored their masks and costumes and performed quick changes out of the sight of the audience. (it sounds much like the word for "part of a play".)

What is a skene?

300

This is the goddess of love, who was born from a shell. Her Roman name is Venus. 



Who is Aphrodite?

300

Every Greek Tragedy had one of these: a group of 5-50 people who would sing, chant, and dance the inner emotions of the characters and illuminate themes in the tragedy.


Who is the chorus?

300

This is the final resolution scene and big EXIT...if you will.

what is an exodos? 

400

This is the academic study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence that men like Socrates and Plato studied.

What is philosophy? 

400

This is the Greek word where "Theatre" came from. It means "the viewing place". It's also where the audience sat.

What is "theatron"?

400

This is the god of the underworld and death, he is Zeus and Poseiden's brother. His Roman name is Pluto.


Who is Hades?

400

This is one of the main costume pieces all the actors and chorus would wear. Its exaggerated features would help the audience identify their character/emotion from a distance.

what is a mask?

400

This is the term for the main character's major flaw which leads to their downfall. Example: The Oedepis family NEVER LISTENS!

What is hubris? 

500

These are the types of stories that Ancient Greek literature focused on, featuring some of our famous bois like Zeus and Poseidon.

What is Greek Mythology or Mythology?

500

This was the dancing place, also a semicircular area where the action took place. Today, we use the word to describe a lot of people playing musical instruments!

what is an Orkhestra?

500

This is the goddess of wisdom and justice. Her Roman name is Minerva.



Who is Athena?

500

This type of person was not allowed to perform in Greek tragedies, they could watch...but not perform.

Who are women and slaves?

500

This literary term is when the audience knows what's going on or happening, but the characters do not. (Example: King Creon thinks a man buried the body but the audience knows its indeed Antigone, a woman)

What is dramatic irony?

600

This was the closed-off society opposite Athens, which focused more on a military lifestyle. Boys as young as seven would start training as soldiers. 

What is SPARTA?!?

600

This was the passageway that was a gangway entry for the chorus to enter, on either side of the skene. This word is also used as the first chorus monologue in the prologue.

What is the parodos?

600

This is the messenger of the gods. His Roman name is Mercury.



Who is Hermes?

600

According to Aristotle: when watching a tragedy, the audience will experience empathy and fear. It is a metaphor for the role that art has in taking the audiences through a vicarious experience. It is called this.

What is catharsis (a purge)?

600

The term "tragedy" means the bleating song of this trash-eating animal.

What is a goat song?