Our next project is on Greek Tragedies, we have to learn a monologue from a play and perform it in front of a camera for next Friday.
What is Greek Tragedy?
A performance in which human suffering and death takes place, giving the audience directly what it is known for. It is about real human beings making terrible mistakes leading to horrific results. Its basic themes resonate with society today because even now in a new era, we can relate to the pain, horror, blood, gore and suffering resided within them. We as humans, even now have to make difficult decisions and have complications with relationships, struggle to accept the world around us and overall struggle to find ourselves and where we belong in society just like many of the characters inside these plays. Its the truth, we live in a flawed world.
Aristotle, a Greek philosopher and polymath during the Classical period in Ancient Greece believed that what made Greek Tragedy so effective was how a hero of tragedy was good but not so good that we as the audience couldn’t relate to them; they had to make errors, they had to make mistakes. In the end they were good people just making the wrong choices. Creon for example, he wasn’t necessarily a bad character or king just a human being who made loads of mistakes because like the whole population he isn’t perfect.
“Hamartia, the error of judgment,” – as Aristotle put it. Almost like our modern day phrase, “Actions have consequences.”
The best example of how Greek Tragedy has been used or brought into our modern day society would be through soap opera because there is death, fights between family members, unexpected sex, many things that relate back to Ancient Greek.
Aristotle talks about a thing called, “Catharsis,” which means purify. Once watching a Greek Tragedy we feel pity, guilt, fear and those emotions get purged, get cleansed as he puts it. What he means by that is when experiencing a play it emotionally drains you but in a good way meaning you feel better after the whole experience. Like for example when you cry at a movie and in the end you feel so much better, a sense of relief. It paradoxically strength you and that’s what Aristotle was on about.
To get a better understanding of a Greek play, we read Sophocles Electra a new version by Nick Payne.
It is a play about a group of siblings seeking revenge on their mother and her lover for killing their father. Their mother Clytemnestra only killed her husband because he killed his own daughter to win a war. By the end of the play they get their revenge but in a very bloody and nasty way, one their mother definitely didn’t deserve.
Once we did that for homework we now have to find a Greek monologue and learn it for the 17th which is next Friday. I have chosen one from the play, “Antigone.” It is about one man thinking he knows everything and the impact that it has on the people around him. Ultimately leading to his down fall after everyone that is of importance to him dies, leaving him on his own to suffer the consequences. Antigone is the young lady we follow through the play and we watch as she rebels against her uncle leading to her alternate demies.
The monologue I have picked from the play is one where Antigone is talking to her Uncle the king, who has just condemn her to death for giving her brother a proper burial before she is dragged away. Creon the King and uncle announces how Polyneices was disloyal by leading a foreign army and that is why he wasn’t given a proper burial. Antigone did not care however, she wanted to give her brother a proper burial because he had every right to it, not because of some political statement or to try and prove a point. She broke the law because she was doing what she thought was right and fair.
As a character Antigone is a strong independent women who does not obey the rules and stands up for her beliefs and rights!
Strengths
My firm stance showed how Antigone isn’t a women to back down, the odds are against her and yet she fights to the bitter end.
My face showed no hesitation nor fear, it was clear solid anger, frustration and a hint of sadness.
I used a chain necklace as restraints and I wore my black and white stripy shirt to make the audience understand that she is a prisoner.
I did not move to in order to show her dignity and power.
I pulled on the restrains to show how she will not stand for this punishment she did not deserve.
When talking of her dead family, I looked at all ends of the room, to make out as if I were actually talking to her parents and brother so the audience knew who I was talking to. It was effective and when watching myself back I knew who I was talking about and the reason for why I was in the predicament in the first place.
My voice does change slightly to show how Antigone does not wish to die in such a horrible way.
Near the end I get louder and angrier to define the fact that the situation it not OK!
I got imsparation from this YouTube video:
Improvements
I believe I may have spoken to fast in the beginning and perhaps could have gone for a sadder approach but not one where it showed weakness because crying is not a sign of weakness, if anything it makes you stronger!
I wish to have done more but in the time that I had, I was happy with what I pulled off. So next time I really want to challenge myself by trying to push more, memorize more and in order to do this I need to find a good tactic. I believe even though using voice recording for this performance really helped, I have to have more confidants that I will remember longer monologues.
Maybe some sort of movement may of helped but standing firmly still and just speaking the monologue also shows how you as an actor can just perform it without any concerns.
Overall I am impressed with what I manged to pull of but at the same time I wish I could have done more, shown more of my abilities, more emotion, be more dynamic and overall just feel comfortable in my own skin when performing.
Helen's Performing Arts Life 