Antigone: performance conventions

Greek Tragedy Performance Conventions

The oldest form of Greek theatre is tragedy, of which Antigone is a prime example.
Greek tragedies often involved a tragic hero or heroine whose downfall is brought about by fate, a flaw in their character, or both. In the case of Antigone, she embodies the tragic heroine who is destined to fall due to her steadfast loyalty to her family and the gods.
The plays usually centred on a moral or philosophical problem, which the tragic hero failed to resolve effectively, leading to their downfall. In Antigone, the conflict between familial duty, religious law and earthly authority forms the play’s central moral dilemma.

Structure and Organization of Greek Tragedies

Greek tragedies were structured in a particular way. This involved dividing the play into Prologue, Parodos, Episodes, Stasima, and Exodus.
The Prologue set the scene. The Parodos was the first song of the chorus, and the Episodes were scenes played out between characters on the stage. The Stasima were reflections on the actions of the characters by the chorus, usually in song, while the Exodus was the final scene. Antigone adheres to this, concluding with Creon’s disastrous realisation of his mistake.

The Role of the Chorus

The role of the Chorus was a key aspect of Greek drama. The Chorus commented on the action, provided background information, and expressed the traditional moral, religious and societal views. Its role in Antigone is to echo the audiences’ thoughts and feelings.
The Choragos was the leader of the Chorus and served as an intermediary between actors and the Chorus.

Use of Masks and Costumes

Greek actors wore masks to help the audience identify the roles they were playing and to amplify their voices. In Antigone, these masks would differentiate between the main characters, such as Antigone, Creon and the Chorus.
Costumes played a vital role in helping the audience distinguish the characters’ gender, social status and profession. For instance, Creon, as the king, would wear royal attire.

The Three-Actor Rule

Usually, only three actors were used in Greek tragedies due to the Three-Actor Rule. These actors played multiple roles, with masks helping to distinguish between the various characters. In Antigone, we have the primary roles of Antigone, Ismene, Creon, Haemon, Tiresias, a Sentry and a Messenger - but there would only be three actors among them.