Theatre and Ethical Choice

Study Guide

Midterm

Topics to be covered:

Greek and Elizabethan theatre

characteristics of society in relation to ethics

characteristics of society in relation to theatre

conditions of theatrical performance (how performed, physical condition of theatres, etc.)

structure of scripts and techniques used to convey ideas

Six parts of drama (Aristotle)

definition and elements of each (parts of plot, analysis and questions for character, major dramatic and thematic questions, etc.)

Ethical concepts covered in Peter Singer and how they apply to the plays we have seen and read. Look also at The Responsibility Project – be able to provide an example or two of modern, everyday versions of the concepts presented in Singer

Antigone, Hamlet, The Story – be familiar with the plots, ethical questions explored, connect the plays to the conditions of their original performance venues and cultures (see above), playwriting techniques used to present themes

Measure for Measure, The Story – be able to discuss how the production presented ethical themes of the play

Structure of the test:

there will a section of fill-in-the-blank involving the parts of drama, theatre history, and perhaps some play questions

short answers will ask you to apply an ethical concept to a specific aspect of one of the plays, or to describe a specific playwriting technique in one of the plays (those would require answers of about a paragraph), or may ask you to identify and define terms from the parts of drama

I may provide a picture of a Greek or Elizabethan theatre and ask you to describe the conditions of performance as indicated by the image

one essay question will combine several of the topics – you may be asked to apply an ethical concept to one of the plays in terms of the parts of drama, or to contrast how the ethical issues in a play were seen when it was written with how they are seen today.

For each section on the test you will have a choice of questions. There will probably be two essay questions, and you will have to choose one.