Reading 2 “Looking at Theatre History” Fi] > one of me primary ways of approaching the Greek theatre's through efche- dogy, he systematic study of material remains such as archtecure, inscriptions, scuplure, vese painting, and other forms of decorative att. A] Serious on-site ‘excavations began in Greece around 1870, but W. Dérpfeld did nct begin the frst oxtonsive etudy of tho Thoatro of Dionysue unt 1836. [Bl Sinco that timo, mote than 167 other Greek theatres have been identified and many of them have been excavated. E] Nevertheless, they sill do not permit us to describe the ifetige appearance of the skene (illustrations printed in books are conjec- tural reconstructions), since many pieces are irrevocably lost because the buildings in later periods became saurces of stone for other projects and what terrains is usually broken and scattered. D] That most of the buildings were remodeled many times has created great problems for those seeking to date the successive versions. Despite these drawbacks, archeology provides the most concrete evidence we have about the theatre structures of ancient Greece. But if they have told us much, archeologists have not completed thet work, and many sites have scarcely been touched. FZ] > Perhaps the most controversial use of archeolgicel evidence in theatre history is vase paintings, thousands of which have survived from ancient Greece. (Most of those used by theatre scholars are reproduced in Margarete Bieber’ The History of te Greek ard Foman Theatre) Depicting scenes from mythology end daily life, the vases are the most grephic pictorial evidence we have. But they are also easy to misinterpret Some scholars have considered ‘any vase that depicts a subject treated ina surviving drama or any scene show- ing masks, tute players, or ceremonial 0 be vad evidence of theatcal prac- tice. This is a highly questionable assumption. since the Greeks made widespread use of masks, dances, and music ouside the theatre and since the ‘myths on which dramatists drew were known to everyone, inclucing vase painters, wto might well depict the same subjects as dramatsts without being indebted to them. Those vases showing scenes uncuestonebly theeriel are fewin number. [F3] > The tex’ toclassicel Greek plays were written down soon after the perfor ‘mance and possibly even before, hough itis not alweys clear when or by whem. By 400 90. there was ¢ flourishing book trade in Greece, but the texts for plays were a challenge. Hellenistic scholars dedicated years to sorting out the text and removing what they believed to be corruptions generally added by ‘Actors, but each time a text was copied there were new possiblities for eros. Fa] > The oldest surviving manuscripts of Greek plays date rom arcund the tent Century c=, some 1,800 years eter they were lst perirmed. Nevertheless, the sors offer us ur readies access tothe cutural and theatral conditions cut of which they came. Butthese scripts, ike othe kinds of evidence are sub- Ject to varying merpretators. Certainly pertormances embodied a male pe spective, for example, since the plays were writen, selected, staged, and acted bymen. Yet the exising plays feature numerous choruses of women and many feature strong female characters. Because these characters olten som victims oftheir own powerteseness ard appeer t be governed, especialy in the come dies, by seal desre, some crtics have sean these plays 2s ratonalzations by the male-dominated culture for Keeping women segregated and cloistered. Other ores, however, have seen in these same playe an attempt by mal authors to force their male audences to examine end call into question th segregation and closterng of Afienan women.FA] > Bytarthe majorty of writen referencesto Gresk theatre date trom several 14, 16. 16. 7 18, hundred years after the events they report. The writers sekdom mention their sources of evidence, and thus we donot know what credence to give them In the absence of material neererin time to the events, however, historians have Used the accounts and have been grateful to have them. Overall, historical treatment of the Greek theatre is something Ike assembing a jigsaw puzzle from which many pieces are missing: historians arrange what they have and Imagine (with the aid of tne remaining evidence and loge) what has been lost ‘As a result, hough the brosd outlines of Greek theatre history are reasonably clear, many of the details remain open to doubt. Glossary ckene: a stage building where actors etore their maske and change their ‘eoetumes ‘According tb paragraph 1, why is itimpossible to dently the time period for theetres in Greece? © There ae too few sites that have been excavated and very Ite data collected about thom. ‘© The archeobgists from earlier periods were no! careful, and many artifacts were broken. © Its contusing because stones from early sites were used to buld later structures. © Because itis vey difcul to date the concrete that was used in construction during early periods. Paragraph 1 is marked with an artow (+). What ean be inferred from paragraph + about the skenein theatre history? © Drawings in beoks are the enly accurate vieual records. ‘® Notenaugh evidence Is available t make @ precise model, © Archeologists have excavated alarge number of them. © Itvas notidertified or studied unt the early 1800s. Paragraph 1 is marked with an arrow [-9]. ‘The word paimaiy/in the passage is closest in meaning to © reliabe: ® important © unusual © accepted “The word tBEis# in the passage is closest in meaning to © attractive @ simple © dfficut © exact In paragraph 2, the author explains that all vases with paintings of masks or musicfans may net be evidence of theatical subjects by ‘© arguing that the subpcts could have been used by artists wihout referenceto a drama ® identifying some of the vases ae reproductions that were painted years alter the originals © casting doubt on the qualifications of the scholars who procuced the vases as evidence ® pointing out that there are very few vases that have survived from the time of eadly dramas Paragraph 2is marked with an arrow (>).19. The word Controversial in the passage Is closest in meaning to ® accepted ® debated © limited ® compicated 20. Which of the folowing statements mest accurately reflects the author's opinion about vase paintings? ® Evidence fromwriten documents is older than evidence kom vase paintings. ® The sources for vase paintings are clear because of the images on them. ‘© The details in vase pairtings are not obvious because of ther age. ‘® There is disagreement among scholars regarding vase paintings. 21. According to paragraph 3, scripts of plays may not be accurate because © the sources cited are net well known ® copios by hand may contain many errors © they are written in very old larguage © the printing is dificult to read Paragraph 3 is marked vith an arrow [9]. 22. Inparagraph 4, the author states that female cheracters in Greek theatre ® had no featured parts in plays ‘© were mostly ignored by crites ‘© did not participate in the chorus ® frequently played the part of victims Paragraph 4 is marked with an arrow [-9]. 23. The word theffin the passage refers to © events ® sources © writers © references 24. Why does the author mertion a jigsaw puzzle" in paragraph 6? ‘© ‘To demonstrate the dificult in drawing corclusions trom partal evidence © To compare the written references for plays to the paintings on vases © To justify using accounte and record that historians have cated ‘© To introduce the topic forthe next reading passage in the textbook Paragraph 5 ie marked with an arrow [->]. 25. Look at the four squares [Il ]that show wnere the following sentence could be inserted in the passage. Those excavations have revealed much that was previously unknown, especially ‘about the dimensions and layout of theatres. Where could the sentence bestbe added? Click on a square [ll] to insert the sentence in the passage.