Vorträge im Rahmen der Hellas (Archiv ab WS 2006/2007)

Prof. Dr. Ombretta Cesca (Lausanne)
Gods on Stage in Attic Drama
(Vortrag in englischer Sprache)
 
In classical Athenian drama – tragedy, comedy, and satyr play – gods frequently assume pivotal narrative roles, appearing directly on stage embodied by masked and costumed actors who recite, sing, and interact with the chorus. Although divine characters routinely introduce themselves or are introduced by others, the concrete modalities through which they were made visually recognizable to the audience remain insufficiently understood. Their placement within the theatrical space appears to have followed certain conventions, yet in most cases it is difficult to determine which staging solutions were adopted for specific plays. Further uncertainties concern whether divine figures wore distinctive masks that differentiated them from mortal or semi-divine characters, and whether their costumes incorporated recognizable attributes – for example, Athena’s helmet and aegis or the bow and arrows associated with Artemis or Apollo. These aspects remain challenging to establish. Drawing on textual analysis of the preserved tragic corpus, this conference will examine passages that may shed light on the possible presence or absence of attributes typically associated with individual deities on stage.