Deck 13: The Greeks to the Rise of Christianity

Question 1

Why were later Roman mime performances often silent?

A)Because they were outlawed from speaking
B)Because in Rome many different languages were spoken
C)Because Emperor Nero had their tongues ripped out
D)Because Emperor Caligula ordered them to not interrupt his speeches
E)None of these choices

Answer 1

B

Question 2

A(n)____ is a pivoting scenic devise used by the Greeks to enable them to change scenery quickly during a performance.

A)periakto
B)duex ex machina
C)parados
D)ekkyklema
E)skene

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which phrase means "god from a machine" and is used to describe a contrived or unimaginative ending during which an unbelievable coincidence or implausible twist (like a god flying in)sets all the problems of the play right?

A)E pluribus unum
B)Deus ex machina
C)In flagrante delicto
D)Habeas corpus
E)Nullus-a-um abdico ab despecto

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Ancient Greek trilogies were typically followed by a short comic-relief play called a(n)...

Question 5

Which ancient Greek playwright wrote Agamemnon?

A)Aeschylus
B)Sophocles
C)Euripides
D)Aristophanes
E)Archimedes

Question 6

Which Roman emperor often acted on stage?

A)Augustus
B)Julius Caesar
C)Marcus Aurelius
D)Nero
E)Caligula

Question 7

Around 500 BCE,Greece was made up of strong independent city-states,including all but which of the following?

A)Sparta
B)Corinth
C)Thebes
D)Athens
E)Rome

Question 8

The two centuries between 323 BCE and 146 BCE were known as the Hellenistic period because many societies around the Mediterranean and beyond…

A)Were anti-religious
B)Produced many famous plays still performed today
C)Banned theatre
D)Were faithful to Julius Caesar
E)Imitated the Greeks

Question 9

Although there are many theories about how theatre began in Athens,many scholars accept Aristotle's claim that theatre grew out of a ritual called...

Question 10

One of the main features of ancient Greek theatres was a circular playing or "dancing place." This circular playing area was called the...

Question 11

What modern word do we derive from the building that once served as a dressing room in the ancient Greek theatre?

Question 12

In ancient Greek theatre,the episode was followed by a(n)____,which contained more songs and dances from the chorus as it commented on the action of the play.

A)prologue
B)parados
C)chorus
D)exodus
E)stasimon

Question 13

The seating or "seeing place" in an ancient Greek theatre was called the...

Question 14

The word thespian means...

A)Dancer
B)Director
C)Playwright
D)Actor
E)Audience

Question 15

What words do scholars use to identify early Greek comic plays (i.e.,plays that happened before the end of the Peloponnesian war when there was still a relatively high degree of freedom of speech in Athens)?

A)Old Comedy
B)New Comedy
C)Goat song
D)Freedom comedies
E)None of these choices

Question 16

The playwright __________,who wrote The Clouds and Lysistrata,was famous for caricatures of Greek leaders and stinging attacks on society.

A)Aristophanes
B)Euripides
C)Aeschylus
D)Thespis
E)Sophocles

Question 17

What words do scholars use to identify later Greek comic plays (i.e.,plays that happened after the end of the Peloponnesian war when there was little freedom of speech in Athens)?

A)Old Comedy
B)Goat song
C)Spartan specials
D)New Comedy
E)Dictator plays

Question 18

Dionysus was the god of...

A)Wine and cheese
B)Darkness
C)Happiness and fortitude
D)Beauty
E)Wine and fertility

Question 19

This ancient Greek playwright wrote Medea.

A)Aeschylus
B)Sophocles
C)Euripides
D)Aristophanes
E)Socrates

Question 20

Which playwright wrote Oedipus Rex?

A)Aristophanes
B)Euripides
C)Aeschylus
D)Thespis
E)Sophocles

Question 21

How did the early Christians feel about the theatre?

Question 22

A ____________________ was a wealthy citizen who financed the production of Greek plays.

Question 23

What did Thespis do that made him such a famous theatre person?

Question 24

Oedipus is one of the most recognized dramatic figures in Western theatre history.In that way,he is similar to Hamlet or Faust.Even people who have not read the plays in which these characters are present will often know the basic story line.Why are many of us still intrigued over 2,000 years later with the character of Oedipus?

Question 25

The third actor in a Greek play was called the ____________________.

Question 26

The word philosophy comes from the ancient Greek words for ____________________ and ____________________.

Question 27

What does "hubris" mean?

Question 28

Which great general spread Greek theatre?

Question 29

Greek plays often began with a short introductory speech or scene known as the ____________________.

Question 30

One of the purposes of Greek drama was to produce a catharsis in the audience.What is a catharsis? Do we experience the same thing today when we see a tragic play or film? In what way is our experience similar or different from the Greeks?

Question 31

The first actors' union was called...

Question 32

Which Roman playwright was also a tutor to the Emperor Nero?

Question 33

What were the six elements of drama that Aristotle discussed in his treatise,Poetics? Choose one of your favorite contemporary plays or films and analyze the structure of that play or film using the six elements described in Aristotle's famous essay.