Aeschylus* (525-455 BCE)

Aeschylus* (525-455 BCE)

First playwright who's work survives - First to become famous throughout the Greek world - Innovator: added second actor (and may have added the third), elaborated the use of dance, scenery and costume, reduced the importance of the chorus - Reputed to have written 90 plays - Regarded as author of the most lofty and vigorous style, plays with ethical content, purifying primitive aspects of religion, but very simple in dramatic structure. Noted for his heroic and grand characters. His trilogies all dealt with a connected theme. PERSONAL LIFE: Of noble birth, a contemporary of the poet Pindar*, he fought in the Battle of Marathon* and, later, in the battle of Salamis*. He is also supposed to have served in the Battle of Plataea* After his defeat by Sophocles, he retired to Gela* on the southwest coast of Sicily. While there he wrote more tragedy and is highly honored. It is said he has been told by an oracle that "A heavenly missile shall slay thee"*. He died in an accident when an eagle dropped a tortoise on his head. Aeschylus* is buried by the citizens of Gela in a civic monument. His tomb became an object of public veneration.

484 BCE Aeschylus* wins contest - EXTANT PLAYS: 472 BCE Aeschylus wins a first prize - The Persians* 472 BCE 458 BCE Aeschylus last victory. The Seven Against Thebes* 468 BCE The Suppliants* 463 BCE Prometheus* c.470 BCE The Oresteia*, only full trilogy Agamemnon* The Libation Bearers* Eumenides* 458 BCE

Heroes Of The Greeks The Greeks have a very strong sense of the attributes that made up what a person should be,

what went to make up the character of a hero. Heroes are always shown in conflict with all the forces that made it so difficult to be what they should be. The conflicts are cast in the form of old myths and legends, but what is at stake is always clear to the audience. Our problem, removed in time and space, is to see through the language and the stories to the essential contests and the heroes that engaged in those conflicts.

A hero* is the embodiment of the society's ideals, a model for good or an example of the bad. The Greeks started with two actors and so the earliest plays deal with only two characters on stage talking in any one scene. They called the first character the protagonist* and the second one the antagonist* because the play is seen as a contest or agon*. The plot concerned the actions of the protagonist and the forces opposing these actions are handled by the antagonist.

In the earliest plays the hero can be the chorus, as it is in the Suppliants*. When it is said that the chorus became less important, one of the things that happens is that the chorus no longer functions as a major character, a hero, and becomes instead, witnesses to the action in the character of the citizens, or slaves, or whatever the group of people affected by the action are. But we need to remember that the chorus is a vital character even after it ceases to be the hero.

The character of the hero is important as a focal point for the concerns of the polis. Later Aristotle will talk about the hero as someone "better" than we are. In this sense the hero is a way of running some ideas about leadership qualities up the flag pole to see who salutes them.

We need to remember that at this stage Greek heroes are ideas, not real people. The most obvious idea that shows up as a hero is hubris*. The hero Prometheus and his antagonist Zeus* both are kinds of hubris. In the extant play we have (keeping in mind that it is probably the middle play in a trilogy on the theme) shows Prometheus* suffering, chained to a rock, because he won't tell Zeus what he wants to know. Zeus keeps torturing him in a vain effort to We need to remember that at this stage Greek heroes are ideas, not real people. The most obvious idea that shows up as a hero is hubris*. The hero Prometheus and his antagonist Zeus* both are kinds of hubris. In the extant play we have (keeping in mind that it is probably the middle play in a trilogy on the theme) shows Prometheus* suffering, chained to a rock, because he won't tell Zeus what he wants to know. Zeus keeps torturing him in a vain effort to

Another range of ideas show up in Aeschylus* last play, the trilogy Orestia *. Here there are religious and political ideas at play. The left over remnants of the "mother religion" show up in the character of the chorus in the end of the middle play and the last play. The Furies (Eumenidies*) are the embodiment of revenge for the spilling of a mother's blood. The Greek society can't afford to have this primitive force around. In the last play the Furies are bargained with, tamed and given a new job in the new society.

The political ideas show up in the problem set by the crime of Orestes*. He is required, under the obligation a son owes his father, to avenge Agamemnon* 's murder by killing her. In the last play we see Athena* setting up the jury system to replace personal revenge. The new society can take it to court.

Sophocles* And The Changing Theatre

Sophocles* (born 500-494, died 406-5 BCE) PERSONAL LIFE - His family is well-to-do. His father is apparently the owner of a

prosperous manufacturing business. He is handsome, athletic, witty and popular. His musical and literary talents are evident in his youth. All his life he is known for his charm and his piety. He is responsible for introducing the cult of Asclepius* (a Greek demigod of healing) to Athens. He marrys twice and has three sons. He is a friend and acquaintance of all the great figures of his time. Because of the success of Antigone he is elected strategos (one of the ten Athenian officials elected every year to serve as military commanders). After his death he will

be honored with a hero cult of his own. 130 plays are attributed to him. His first play (Triptolemus*) is staged about 468 BCE and won first prize. He played the lead in his early plays but he has a weak voice and soon retired from acting. He won first or second prize 24 times. He is supposed to have introduced the third actor (although other writers claim Aeschylus* did this). He increased the chorus from twelve to fifteen members. He is supposed to have introduced scene painting (but again others claim Aeschylus* did this). Known for his tragic world view, sense of irony and made each play of a trilogy an organic unit.

SOPHOCLES* EXTANT PLAYS: Philoctetes* 409 BCE Ajax* 442 BCE Oedipus the King (Rex)* 420s BCE Antigone* 441 BCE Trachiniae* c.413 BCE Electra* c.413 BCE [a large part of a satyr play, Oedipus at Colonus* 401 BCE Ichneutae* has also been recovered]

By the time we get to Sophocles* we are entering the Golden Age of Greece. His first victory (468 BCE) comes while the war with Persia is still going on but peace is finally settled in 448 BCE. With military success, economic prosperity and a growing empire, Athens is becoming confident, a little smug and definitely self-centered.