T H E A T R E RESEARCH INVESTIGATION How coul an actor perform Teiresias as in the original performance of Antigone 442 BC? Mostar, the 01.10.08 Georg Schauer wor count: 2451/2500
T H E A T R E A R T S How coul an actor perform Teiresias as in the original performance of Antigone 442 BC? Contractions use OR! Ant.! O.! Phon.! - Sophocles: Oeipus Rex - Sophocles: Antigone - Homer: Oyssey - Euripies: The Phoenician Women Research Question How coul an actor perform Teiresias as in the original performance of Antigone 442 BC? Introuction While trying to ientify ways in which Sophocles attempte to evelop a climax in his trageies, Frierich Hölerlin 1 proves the speeches of Teiresias to be the pinnacle in both Antigone an Oeipus rex. Through the complexity an most certainly the acting of that role, Teiresias emboies the catharsis in Sophocles plays accoring to Hölerlin. Besie those, two other scenes with Teiresias involvement have been written in my timeframe by Euripies, who also uses the character in the Bacchae an The Phoenician Women. Teiresias is often referre to as the blin seer, able to fin truth where others only see riles. It seeme only natural to ask myself how this key character coul have been performe to serve his purpose in Antigone an ancient Greek Theatre in general, which le to my research question for this essay. I am going to attempt giving general avice to actors wishing to eepen their unerstaning an performing of the role. I will start by explaining the nature an history of Teiresias from myths an trageies, as most evience about how his role was compose can be foun there; followe by requirements for the actor an an authentic approach to the role. 1. The role Teiresias an his purpose - What the actor must know 1.1 Myth It is thought that in his lost epos Melampoia, Hesio tells about the source of Teiresias wisom 2 : Hesio tells that he [Teiresias] transforme from male to female after watching an wouning two mating snakes in the mountain-range of Kyllene. When he later saw these snakes at another occasion, he became man. Therefore Hera an Zeus, arguing which gener experiences greater lust an zest, aske for him to solve the rile. He answere that of the nineteen parts of mating, males enjoy nine, but the females ten. Thus Hera, loosing her bet, took away his sight, but Zeus, having mercy, gave him the ability to foretell. [...] Long life was also given. The same tale is tol by many other greek an roman literates with slight ifferences, such as whether Teiresias wouns or kills the snakes 3. Apart from the Melampoia, there are also completely ifferent versions of the narrative, for example of Perekyes or Callimachus, who tell that Teiresias saw the goess Athene nake, became blin immeiately an only later acquire the ability to foretell 4 ; or Sostratos, as to whom there were a whole of 7 metamorphoses 5. What is common in all, is that Teiresias commits some sort of violation of norms, is then punishe an later the punishment somehow compensate. page 2/8
The wor mythos always implies something spoken. So it comes that although there are written forms of the story of Teiresias, the Greeks i not have a sacre text like Koran or Bible where a fixe version of the story can be foun. Mythos was therefore always aapte an moifie to serve an author s purpose, which makes it very ifficult to fin originality, as to whether the Melampoia or another text is right. Jacques Derria, french philosopher an literary critic, however justifiably suggests we shoul reject that originality as creative ieal, as certain acting or a myth is boun to its context an the auience s knowlege of the topic 6. Someone just ha to say Teiresias! in the ancient worl an everyone ha a myth in his hea. Therefore I choose Hesio s tale as it is reasonable to assume that it best reflecte the auience s known backgroun at the time the four plays were first performe. 1.2 From myth to tragey After the Compensation of punishment in the Melampoia, Teiresias has some attributes an actor is to know: He has a unique perspective onto the worl for he has been both geners an is able to rea the signs of nature (Ant. 970-994) an accoring to Homer will live long an stay sane in the afterlife (O. 10.493-495). By so uncovering truths an secrets of the gos he emboies ichotomies an actor has to keep in min while approaching Teiresias: ivine vs human female vs male life vs eath Especially the first is well visible in Sophocles an Euripies plays: In all four Teiresias is confronte with a secular force (human irrationality an emotions) while being the gos interpreter (omniscience) (Ant. 1065-1071). However, it appears he is not able to stop horror from happening in any of the plays. Another common occurrence is the structure of the scenes, which tells a lot about Teiresias as person: The main reason for his appearance is a ifficult situation the city is in. This suggests a general goo will towars all, as he even gives council to the evil Thebeners from an Athenian perspective, where the plays were written. He is very respecte among the kings an people an there is no question whether he speaks truth (OR 297-299 or Ant. 993 an 995). Nevertheless the kings o not react fine to Teiresias mostly isturbing an horrible prophecies. There often an argument evolves in which king an Teiresias present their ifferent values, leaing to catharsis, purification or purging. Aristotle escribe the regaining of consciousness after trance as such process an uses the same efinition for catharsis in theatre 7. Teiresias purpose on stage therefore must be to remin the Greek of religious values, but also to link the Olympus back to aily life. Picture 1: Teiresias, guie an Oeipus, about 330 BC page 3 /8
2. What an actor requires to act Teiresias 2.1 Appearance Because of his long life, Teiresias is always picture as an ol man with white hair an bear. (see Picture 1, left person) As alreay sai he is blin, which can be illustrate by a blinfol. He is accompanie by a young boy to guie him (OR 444 or Ant. 988-990), in The Phoenician Women it is his family (Phon. 769). In orer to create strong contrasts to the ark woo an stone surrounings, long an colourful costumes in form of robes where use, unerlining the ceremonial character of theatre. As character of the social mile class, Teiresias woul have worn a himation. With only left arm free, those garments mae big an forceful movements quite ifficult, which may partly be responsible for the greek affection for talking rather than fighting, an the actors to emphasize speech. It also requires an enormous boy tension from the actor. Masks were worn upon the face, with a wie opening for the mouth. The colouration of the masks avance over time as the space change an shaow mae colour more visible to the spectators. It also allowe seeing the mask s features more clear. For the time of the four Teiresias plays, however, an actor neee a plain mask mae of fixe rags, which covers most of the hea. 2.2 Space The Theatre of Dionysos in Athens is the place an actor must look at to fin accurate information about where Teiresias was performe. Plays like The Bacchae were written for the Dionysia, a feast for the go Dionysos, hel every year in Athens. It is imperative that a similar place for acting Teiresias is chosen as only this form of space has the neee attributes: The Athenian theatre has most of all been a place for community. It is assume that theatre evolve from assemblies an that there were no entrance fees. Anyone, regarless of origin or gener coul listen. The theatre looke like a semicircle escening towars the stage. The question whether there was a stage is controversial, but it is safe to assume that at my timeframe performance took place only in the mile of the semicircle, in front of the plain lanscapes. Eventually props woul have been mae of woo, so were the seats for the auience. Picture 2: The Theatre of Dionysos toay The remains suggest 15-20 000 spectators. This is another important criterion for a peccable space: The hugh auitorium only mae frontal speech possible an require an immense vocal capacity. The scale [...] makes it more akin to pop concerts or sporting events than any moern form of theatre. says Davi Wiles, Professor for Theatre at the University of Lonon 8. Inee, space ha a profoun impact on the patterns of the chorus on the groun an the simplistic movements of the actors. Those movements almost followe Commeia ell Arte rules as in the Lazzi, or forbiing the actor to turn away from the auience. For this reason Greek tragey often seems too long an motionless in toay s theatres. The right place must compensate for that. page 4 /8
Picture 3: The Pronomos vase, Satyr actors preparing, about 400 BC 3. An actors possible approach to.. 3.1.. the mask On the ancient greek vase of Pronomos, actors can be seen stuying their mask as preparation for performance. It coul be argue that the mask was one of the keys to greek theatre an its unerstaning brings many favours to the actor. Although they ha many features, masks at that time generally looke plain an neutral. While white hair inicate age or ark skin colour male, there were no suggestions about what the role feels or thinks. In this absence of expression the masks can almost remin of the neutral mask of Jacque Lecoq. It woul then become like a vehicle, rawing the whole boy into space, into specific movements that reveal the character 9. Though the approach to the greek mask is very similar to Lecoq s, greek masks however were not neutral in a moern sense. They were as they naively an every time new unerwent the performance, but they also implie a character behin them; one that can feel, react an ecie - unlike the neutral mask. The reason for the Pronomos vase actors to stuy their masks is to completely let go of themselves an become the mask s character. At the time the perception of self was ifferent than toay s an the iea of suspening oneself not as problematic as Brecht or Stanislavski see it: They woul have feare to actor to parish uner the mask, but the greek actor went into a panic-free emptiness, as Thanos Vovolis, greek mask maker, argues, which was esigne to reveal, not conceal 10. As well as for preparation, the mask serve several purposes for the actor uring the performance: As the mask covere the whole hea one coul be tempte to think the auience was not suppose to see the actor. This is a fallacy; in fact the mask was first mae to accomplish the opposite. Very clear an exaggerate features mae it easier for the far away auience in the last row - approximately 70 metres from stage - to focus on the face an better listen. What seems rather istancing an alienating in toay s prouctions brought intimacy to the greek theatre. Furthermore the mask functione as what Stanislavski woul have calle the fourth wall. Because the actor coul not always see the auience he was less tempte to play for them rather than being his role. I conclue that in orer to approach the mask effectively, an actor is to be courageous enough to completely let go of his environment, bringing the Teiresias mask to life through the whole boy, not hiing behin the mask. 3.2.. prepare voice In orer to train his voice, the orator Demosthenes, spoke with stones in his mouth or while running 11. These methos were necessary in orer to fill the hugh space. Generally any voice training shoul help, though the scale of the auitorium shoul not be unerestimate. The mask becomes of importance also for the voice here. Because it covers the whole hea, it can function as resonance boy, proucing a much more filling speaking. However, the opening for the page 5 /8
mouth is not to be use as megaphone, but as point where to concentrate the volume, as Vovolis urges, who also stuie the acoustic effects of ifferent mask types. The voice is suppose to become clearer, more resonant, powerful an unerstanable 10. 3.3.. prepare min an boy As sai before, the greek perception of the self was utterly ifferent than ours. The moern ivie between boy an soul as well as reason an emotion has its origins in Plato s Republic. At the time of Teiresias scenes however, this theory was not yet of significance to theatre an the actor must not use this image of person. A more holistic, pre-socratic view onto what complements a person was the general consensus. The boy was focuse, but not rule by a single I. In four basic centres, Aeschylus associates physical action to internal conitions: 12! phrên - the thought, reason an logic of a person; equitable an juicious, but easily overtaken by other parts.! êpar - the eep, slow emotions.! karia - an ol form of the moern heart representing many aily emotions like joy or isappointment.! thumos - the temperament; erratic, quick an powerful emotions emerge form here. This system makes it impossible for the actor to fin motives or objectives as Stanislavski woul propose. Meea has no choice, but is etermine to kill her chilren, as ifferent parts of her personality take over. Davi Wiles proposes: The instinct of the moern actor is to transmit the pain of a unique iniviual calle Meea through the face. The maske Greek actor use the boy to emonstrate a set of impulses, so the I which articulates an intention oes not represent the true Meea any more than the thumos governing the characters actions. 13 An actor therefore shoul not chase a self, but try to figure out from the text he is to perform, which parts of Teiresias personality are ominant. (Ant. 1025-1032) The quotation implies a Teiresias rather le by phrên an êpar, leaing to a soft voice an smooth movements. However, in the perception of what exactly a character was mae of an how he emboies the ichotomies liste in 1.2 lies the creative potential of the ancient greek actor. The Greek theatre therefore becomes very organic an emocratic. Theatre was neither planne through as a static ritual it is often seen as, nor was it a chaotic feast of exotic lingerie. Both, Dionysos (wilness) an Apollo (structure) are the guarians of theatre traition in Greece an so the actor is equippe with both, an organise repertoire of inner forces, from which he can raw a creative energy to prouce movements associate with the those ifferent parts. How exactly the boy functione is not known toay. However, with evience from costume an features of Teiresias it is safe to assume that not much big movements were involve in his acting an that his main focus lay on speech. 4. Summary Because of a lack of evience, an actor will never be able to notify he achieve an authentic representation of how Teiresias was performe. Especially intonation an intensity of movements remain ungraspable from the hints we fin in the classical texts an iaries. Yet, it remains a noble intent an most certainly helps gain a better unerstaning of greek society, culture an values, thus their philosophy. As Derria suggeste, it oes not make much sense to perform a greek tragey to an auience which oes not have the intertextual knowlege to unerstan the bottom line, having ifferent backgrouns an values. But, alreay Euripies an Sophocles wrote their plays for people out of consensus, so also a moern spectator might experience catharsis while watching Teiresias speeches. It therefore remains justifiable to continue an analysis of how Teiresias woul have been performe in the time between 442 an 406 BC.! wors: 2451 page 6 /8
Quote or aapte seconary literature 1) Frierich Hölerlin: Anmerkungen zu Oeipus inclue in Sämtliche Werke Ban 6: Sophokles Frankfurt a.m.! 1988, page 251 2) Apolloorus - the libary, Lonon 1921, inclue in Fragmenta Hesioae, Oxfor 1967, pages 133-138 3) See for example Ovi: Metamorphoses 3.316-338 or Homer: Oyssey 10.494 4) E. Howal: Die Dichtungen es Kallimachos Zurich, 1955, pages 145-149 5) Eition G. Stallbaum: Eustathi Commentari in Oysseam, Leipzig 1826, reprouce Hilesheim 1960, pages! concerning 10.492 6) See Christopher Norris: Deconstruction: theory an practice, Lonon 1986, page 32 7) Aristotle: Politics line 1341b, translation T. A. Sinclair, Harmonsworth 1962, page 314 8) Davi Wiles: Greek Theatre Performance, New York 2000, page 109 9) Jacque Lecoq: Le corpes poétique New York 2001, pages 48-9 an 63-6 10) Thanos Vovolis: Form an function of the tragic mask, unpublishe lecture, Lonon April 1966 11) Plutarch: Life of Demosthenes 7.11 12) William G. Thalmann: Aeschylus physiology of the emotions, American Journal of Philology 107 1986, pages 489-511 13) Davi Wiles: Greek Theatre Performance, New York 2000, page 155 Pictures 1) M. Schmit, inclue in Praestant Interna Tübingen 1982, Picture 53-1 2) http://www.whitman.eu/theatre/theatretour/ionysos/ionysos.htm [accesse the 09.08.2008] 3) http://www.perseus.tufts.eu/cgi-bin/image?lookup=1993.01.0669 [accesse the 09.08.2008] Bibliography Lecoq, Jacque: Le corpes poétique, Routlege, New York 2001 Ley, Graham: A short introuction to the ancient greek theatre, University of Chicago Press, Chicago 1991 Ugolini, Gheraro: Untersuchungen zur Figur es Sehers Teiresias from the Classica Monacensia Gunter Narr Verlag Tübingen, Tübingen1995 Sophocles: Antigone (originally 442 BC), translation J. J. C. Donner, Hamburger Leseheft Verlag, Husum/Norsee 2006 Sophocles: Oeipus Rex (originally 429 BC) translation K. Steinmann, Reclam, Stuttgart 2008 Stanislavski, Constantin: An actor prepares New York Theatre Arts, New York 1936 Wiles, Davi: Greek Theatre Performance, Cambrige University Press, New York 2000 page 7 /8
Critique of sources Lecoq, Jacque: Le corpes poétique, Routlege, New York 2001, first publishe 1997 Jacque Lecoq is a French theatre practitioner, who fixe his work between improvisation an movement technique in this book. His intentions for writing it was to pass on his ieas. Although he i not conuct written stuies of Greek theatre, an also has not mae reference to it in the book apart from the Greek chorus, his concept of the neutral mask has great potential in helping to unerstan Greek masks as well. It is impossible to tell, how compatible his actor training technique is with the traitional Greek one, but as the outcomes show similarities, Lecoq became of importance for this essay an was of help for me in explaining the philosophical approach to the mask of Teiresias. Ley, Graham: A short introuction to the ancient Greek theatre, University of Chicago Press, Chicago 1991 Graham Ley is professor for Theatre Arts a t the University of Exeter. In his book, he trie to give a literally short introuction of 122 pages A5 into the subject matter for the layman in the postmoern society. Because of this inexperience intene auience, Ley uses everyay language an misleaing analogies with little reference to primary ata, which mae his work to be of little relevance for this essay. Although his points are vali an properly reference, his main focus lies on the relation between society an theatre uring Greek times, thus was not very useful to explore a specific aspect of this theatre traition. Ugolini, Gheraro: Untersuchungen zur Figur es Sehers Teiresias from the Classica Monacensia Gunter Narr Verlag Tübingen, Tübingen1995 Gheraro Ugolini is philologer an therefore concerne with the myths, stories an truths lying behin a certain narrative. His work was a PhD about Teiresias, which meant that his book gave great insie an epth into that role an that he wrote this work for the purpose of intense acaemic stuies of the character, presuming knowlege about Greek society, Latin an traitional Greek. Having ha interest in these areas before, Ugolini offere most knowlege require for 1.1 an others of my essay, for example a translation of Hesio s myth of Teiresias Stanislavski, Constantin: An actor prepares New York Theatre Arts, New York 1936 Constantin Stanislavski was a Russian realist theatre practitioner of the 19th an 20th century. His intentions for writing this work where to express the main ieas an concepts of realistic theatre from an actors point of view, in an easily comprehensible way. Although he i not write on Greek theatre specifically, his iea help explain some of the concepts use in Greek actor training. Since pre-platonic philosophy an theatre encourages the actor to parish in favour of his role, I believe that at least parts of his system must be of use for an Greek theatre actor. Stanislavski rejecte the iea of completely forgetting yourself in your part, but essentially this is what his system has the potential to accomplish, as well. For this reason, Stanislavski ha a minor, but significant influence on this essay, particularly exploring the preparation of the min of a Greek theatre actor. Wiles, Davi: Greek Theatre Performance, Cambrige University Press, New York 2000 Professor Davi Wiles teaches Theatre an is an expert on the subject matter. The intene auience of his book mainly consists of laymen an stuents, who wish to gain a eep unerstaning of the topic. It explores Greek theatre as a traition from the viewpoints of ifferent aspects of prouction involve at the time. Its main focus though lies on actors rather than writers an the gathering as a ceremony, which istinguishes this book form many others written on this topic. Therefore Wiles book has been my main resource for research as it insightfully reflects on the theatre practice, costumes, social conventions, ontological aspects as well as the little that is known about actor preparation uring the 4th century BC. The Pronomos vase (400 BC) an Oeipus vase (330 BC) Both vases come from the Classical perio of Greek history, with the Oeipus vase closing on the Hellenistic age. They were create roughly in the time perio of Antigone (442 BC). They are thus one of the few primary resources available apart from the plays themselves. Although the Pronomos vase shows satyr, not tragic actors, the approach to the mask visible in the vase helps gravely in unerstaning the preparation process of the actor. So are the actual acting an costumes on the Oeipus vase. For this reason both vases have greatly helpe my in my research. page 8 /8