A study of ancient Greek, Roman, and medieval theatre conventions and devices - Page 83 |
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72
As t h i s l i n e i s s p o k e n A g a th a n a p p e a r s r e p o s i n g i n a bed
s u r r o u n d e d by f e m in in e t o i l e t a r t i c l e s
The q u e s t i o n may be r a i s e d a s t o why t h e G re e k s , who
w ere s u c h a n a e s t h e t i c p e o p le i n a l l m a t t e r s o f a r t , a l lo w e d
s u c h a c ru d e d e v i c e a s th e e c c y c le m a i n t h e i r t h e a t r e s . I t
h a s b e e n p o i n t e d o u t t h a t t h e s t a g i n g p o s s i b i l i t i e s i n t h e
G reek t h e a t r e w ere d e f i n i t e l y l i m i t e d . I n o r d e r to overcom e
t h e s e l i m i t a t i o n s , i f t h e a u d i e n c e w ould a g r e e t h a t a tem p le
o r h o u se c o u ld c o n t a i n a n i n n e r room , w h ic h c o u ld be w h e e le d
o r r e v o l v e d i n s u c h a m anner t h a t i t w ould a p p e a r o u t s i d e on
th e p o r c h , t h e n th e p l a y w r i g h t s w ould show them some i n t e r e
s t i n g and d r a m a t i c s c e n e s . T h is i s w hat h a p p e n e d .
To a m odern s p e c t a t o r , u s e d to e l a b o r a t e s t a g e e f f e c t s ,
t h e d e v i c e w ould a p p e a r i n t o l e r a b l e . But th e G re e k s ,
l i v i n g a t a tim e when s t a g e d e c o r a t i o n was i n i t s
i n f a n c y , w ere l e s s e x a c t i n g i n t h e i r dem ands. And when
t h e y had once a c c e p t e d th e ekky k lem a as a c o n v e n t i o n a l
c o n t r i v a n c e f o r e x h i b i t i n g i n t e r i o r s t h e i r p l a s t i c
g e n i u s w ould e n a b le them t o u s e i t to t h e b e s t a d v a n t a g e .
The s u d d e n s p e c t a c l e o f t h e m u r d e r e r s t a n d i n g b e s i d e h i s
v i c t i m ’ s b o d y , w i t h t h e i n s t r u m e n t o f d e a t h i n h i s h a n d s ,
m ig h t e a s i l y be fo rm ed i n t o a m ost i m p r e s s i v e t a b l e a u . 6 1
Thus i t c a n b e s e e n t h a t by a l l o w i n g t h e c o n v e n t i o n
o f t h e e c c y c le m a t o be u s e d i n t h e i r t h e a t r e s , t h e G reeks
h e i g h t e n e d t h e i r d r a m a t i c e n jo y m e n t, and a t t h e same t i m e .
Loo. c i t .
H a ig h , o p . c i t . , p . 2 0 3 .
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| Title | A study of ancient Greek, Roman, and medieval theatre conventions and devices - Page 83 |
| Repository email | cisadmin@lib.usc.edu |
| Full text | 72 As t h i s l i n e i s s p o k e n A g a th a n a p p e a r s r e p o s i n g i n a bed s u r r o u n d e d by f e m in in e t o i l e t a r t i c l e s The q u e s t i o n may be r a i s e d a s t o why t h e G re e k s , who w ere s u c h a n a e s t h e t i c p e o p le i n a l l m a t t e r s o f a r t , a l lo w e d s u c h a c ru d e d e v i c e a s th e e c c y c le m a i n t h e i r t h e a t r e s . I t h a s b e e n p o i n t e d o u t t h a t t h e s t a g i n g p o s s i b i l i t i e s i n t h e G reek t h e a t r e w ere d e f i n i t e l y l i m i t e d . I n o r d e r to overcom e t h e s e l i m i t a t i o n s , i f t h e a u d i e n c e w ould a g r e e t h a t a tem p le o r h o u se c o u ld c o n t a i n a n i n n e r room , w h ic h c o u ld be w h e e le d o r r e v o l v e d i n s u c h a m anner t h a t i t w ould a p p e a r o u t s i d e on th e p o r c h , t h e n th e p l a y w r i g h t s w ould show them some i n t e r e s t i n g and d r a m a t i c s c e n e s . T h is i s w hat h a p p e n e d . To a m odern s p e c t a t o r , u s e d to e l a b o r a t e s t a g e e f f e c t s , t h e d e v i c e w ould a p p e a r i n t o l e r a b l e . But th e G re e k s , l i v i n g a t a tim e when s t a g e d e c o r a t i o n was i n i t s i n f a n c y , w ere l e s s e x a c t i n g i n t h e i r dem ands. And when t h e y had once a c c e p t e d th e ekky k lem a as a c o n v e n t i o n a l c o n t r i v a n c e f o r e x h i b i t i n g i n t e r i o r s t h e i r p l a s t i c g e n i u s w ould e n a b le them t o u s e i t to t h e b e s t a d v a n t a g e . The s u d d e n s p e c t a c l e o f t h e m u r d e r e r s t a n d i n g b e s i d e h i s v i c t i m ’ s b o d y , w i t h t h e i n s t r u m e n t o f d e a t h i n h i s h a n d s , m ig h t e a s i l y be fo rm ed i n t o a m ost i m p r e s s i v e t a b l e a u . 6 1 Thus i t c a n b e s e e n t h a t by a l l o w i n g t h e c o n v e n t i o n o f t h e e c c y c le m a t o be u s e d i n t h e i r t h e a t r e s , t h e G reeks h e i g h t e n e d t h e i r d r a m a t i c e n jo y m e n t, and a t t h e same t i m e . Loo. c i t . H a ig h , o p . c i t . , p . 2 0 3 . |
