[Rhnea]

Antigone

1. Locate the quote by Mircea Eliade in the “Crash Course, Intro to Theatre” video (week 1) In your own words, describe Eliade’s definition of ritual.

A Ritual is a communication between Humans and the Supernatural. They just remind Humans what happened in the past by reacting it in theatre and that makes the action in the present time. Theater helps them bring it present because it has been reacted in the present time.

2. According to Weinstein (week one reading), how does amphitheater architecture contribute to the sense of ritual time (the past being made present)?
Amphitheater architecture contributes to the sense of ritual time because shows nature that was there before us and that is going to be there after we leave too. It’s God-like because nature is bigger than us. It’s a work of Art made by “ the Gods” or whoever higher power they believed in.

3. Watch the taped stage production of “Antigone” in Digital Theatre +. What is the previous time that the character Antigone is trying to make “present” in the play “Antigone”? In other words, what action does she want to take and who will be made “present” for the other characters in the play?

Antigone is a strong-minded woman who believes that even though one of her brother’s actions wasn’t always honor it is his basic human right to be buried after he died. It is a basic human right for a human to be buried when they are dead. To just have their body lying outside without being taken away and buried or even burned just out away from the public is inhuman. Antigone said that “Natural juice, which of all times is numinous not the equality of Zeus or other kings. They do not recognize such law. Laws that you enact cannot overturn ancient moralities or common human decency they speak the language of eternity and are not written down and never changed. She is trying to make that Human Right present even though the new King said something else. It is an unwritten ritual that was there before him. However, the King said he is the law and that is above Kinship. Because Antigone is his sister’s daughter.

4. As you can see from the BBC production of “Antigone”, it is not staged on an outdoor amphitheater, but rather in a proscenium style, indoor theatre. The size of the audience for the BBC production was surely smaller than the Ancient Greek performance in an amphitheater and in a proscenium arrangement there would be less awareness of other audience members. While watching the play, think about how the staging would need to change in an outdoor space in front of 4,000 spectators. Choose one scene that you believe would have a greater impact if staged in an outdoor amphitheater, specifically in terms of helping the audience feel that the events of Antigone are “made present” (that the audience is watching the original mythological event — think about what Weinstein wrote about the effect of performances in the amphitheater). When citing the scene, add the hour/minute mark on the video so that it can easily be referenced.

I believe that a scene from the movie that would have had a better impact outside would have been when the King found his son in the cave the King put Antigone in to prove a point to not go against him. The Kings rules are not the rules of the land. Their rules to feel his arrogance. He claims he is the law but he is not and whatever he put out there with his words and actions came right back to him. For the stone to be removed and for the King to find his son mourning at the feet of his dead fiancé would be so tragic and really show the audience what is when you don’t let “ The God’s” deal with the dead and you take orders into your own hands. The Guard told this story at 1:22:30 of the movie but it would have been better if it was displayed during the play and if it was outside.

• This topic was modified 2 months ago by Rhnea.
• This topic was modified 2 months ago by Rhnea.