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I. Reading for a purpose.

You are going to read the text about Roman theatre, which developed and expanded considerably under the Romans. The theatre of ancient Rome was a thriving and diverse art form, ranging from festival performances of street theatre and acrobatics, to the staging of Plautus's broadly appealing situation comedies, to the high-style, verbally elaborate tragedies of Seneca. Although Rome had a native tradition of performance, the Hellenization of Roman culture in the 3rd century BCE had a profound and energizing effect on Roman theatre.

Write as many questions as you’d like to ask about Roman theatre. Use only theatrical vocabulary.

II. Translate the following words and word combinations.

character , theatre, pre-theatrical practice, ancient, street theatre, staging, comedy, Roman culture, stage, drama, literature of the highest quality for the stage, theatrical, entertainments, genre, episode, tragedy,experienced, Roman drama.

III.Sharpen your Reading skills Main ideas

You know that good readers look for the topic of what they are reading. Good readers also look for the main idea. The main ideais the writer‘s most important point about the topic.

To find the main idea of a paragraph, ask yourself, ―What does the author want me to know about the topic?‖

How Do You Find the Main Idea of a Paragraph?

In order to find the main idea of a paragraph, first you need to find the topic. Then you need to ask yourself ―What does the author want me to know about the topic?‖ The answer is the main idea. Many times you will find the answer in one sentence. This is called the topic sentence. The topic sentence states the main idea of the paragraph. The topic sentence is often the first sentence of a paragraph, but sometimes it is the last sentence or a sentence in the middle of the paragraph.

A. Read the paragraph. Find the topic of each paragraph. Then underline the sentence that tells the main idea

1. The theatre of ancient Rome was a thriving and diverse art form, ranging from festival performances of street theatre and acrobatics, to the staging of Plautus's broadly appealing situation comedies, to the high-style, verbally elaborate tragedies of Seneca. Although Rome had a native tradition of performance, the Hellenization of Roman culture in the 3rd century BCE had a profound and energizing effect on Roman theatre and encouraged the development of Latin literature of the highest quality for the stage.

Topic:

2.While both dramatists composed in both genres, Andronicus was most appreciated for his tragedies and Naevius for his comedies; their successors tended to specialise in one or the other, which led to a separation of the subsequent development of each type of drama. By the beginning of the 2nd century BCE, drama was firmly established in Rome and a guild of writers (collegium poetarum) had been formed.

Topic:

3.Nine of Seneca's tragedies survive, all of which are fibula crepidata (tragedies adapted from Greek originals); his Phaedra, for example, was based on Euripides' Hippolytus. Historians do

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not know who wrote the only extant example of the fibula praetexta (tragedies based on Roman subjects), Octavia, but in former times it was mistakenly attributed to Seneca due to his appearance as a character in the tragedy.

Topic:

4. Plautus, the more popular of the two, wrote between 205 and 184 BCE and twenty of his comedies survive, of which his farces are best known; he was admired for the wit of his dialogue and his use of a variety of poetic meters. All of the six comedies that Terence wrote between 166 and 160 BCE have survived; the complexity of his plots, in which he often combined several Greek originals, was sometimes denounced, but his double-plots enabled a sophisticated presentation of contrasting human behaviour.

Topic:

IV.SUPPORTING DETAILS

As you know, the sentences in a paragraph are all about one topic. Together they develop one main idea. To help you understand the main idea, the writer adds supporting details. The supporting details give more information about the topic. They are not as general as the main idea. After you identify the topic and the main idea, you should look for details that support it.

Supporting ideascan be facts, examples, or reasons. Supporting details help you understand more about the main idea. They tell who, what, when, where, why, how, how much or how many

B.One sentence in each group below is the main idea. The other sentences are supporting details.

Read the following paragraphs. Identify the main idea and write it in the space provided. Then make a list of details that support the main idea.

1.The Roman comedies that have survived are all fabula palliata (comedies based on Greek subjects) and come from two dramatists: Titus Maccius Plautus (Plautus) and Publius Terentius Afer (Terence). In re-working the Greek originals, the Roman comic dramatists abolished the role of the chorus in dividing the drama into episodes and introduced musical accompaniment to its.

Main Idea

Supporting details

2. Following the expansion of the Roman Republic into several Greek territories between 270– 240, Rome encountered Greek drama. From the later years of the republic and by means of the Roman Empire (27 BCE-476 CE), theatre spread west across Europe, around the Mediterranean and reached England; Roman theatre was more varied, extensive and sophisticated than that of any culture before it.

Main Idea

Supporting details

3. The first important works of Roman literature were the tragedies and comedies that Livius Andronicus wrote from 240 BCE. Five years later, Gnaeus Naevius also began to write drama. No plays from either writer have survived. By the beginning of the 2nd century BCE, drama was firmly established in Rome and a guild of writers (collegium poetarum) had been formed.

Main Idea

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Supporting details

4. No early Roman tragedy survives, though it was highly regarded in its day; historians know of three early tragedians-Quintus Ennius, Marcus Pacuvius and Lucius Accius. From the time of the empire, the work of two tragedians survives-one is an unknown author, while the other is the Stoic philosopherSeneca. Nine of Seneca's tragedies survive, all of which are fibula crepidata (tragedies adapted from Greek originals).

Main Idea

Supporting details

5. The action of all scenes is set in the exterior location of a street and its complications often follow from eavesdropping. Plautus, the more popular of the two, wrote between 205 and 184 BCE and twenty of his comedies survive, of which his farces are best known; he was admired for the wit of his dialogue and his use of a variety of poetic meters. All of the six comedies that Terence wrote between 166 and 160 BCE have survived

Main Idea

Supporting details

TEXT III.

ROMAN THEATRE

Western theatre developed and expanded considerably under the Romans. The Roman historian Livy wrote that the Romans first experienced theatre in the 4th century, with a performance by Etruscan actors. Beacham argues that Romans had been familiar with "pre-theatrical practices" for some time before that recorded contact. The theatre of ancient Rome was a thriving and diverse art form, ranging from festival performances of street theatre and acrobatics, to the staging of Plautus's broadly appealing situation comedies, to the high-style, verbally elaborate tragedies of Seneca. Although Rome had a native tradition of performance, the Hellenization of Roman culture in the 3rd century BCE had a profound and energizing effect on Roman theatre and encouraged the development of Latin literature of the highest quality for the stage. Following the expansion of the Roman Republic into several Greek territories between 270– 240, Rome encountered Greek drama. From the later years of the republic and by means of the Roman Empire (27 BCE-476 CE), theatre spread west across Europe, around the Mediterranean and reached England; Roman theatre was more varied, extensive and sophisticated than that of any culture before it. While Greek drama continued to be performed throughout the Romanperiod, the year 240 BCE marks the beginning of regular Roman drama. From the beginning of the empire, however, interest in full-length drama declined in favour of a broader variety of theatrical entertainments.

The first important works of Roman literature were the tragedies and comedies that Livius Andronicus wrote from 240 BCE. Five years later, Gnaeus Naevius also began to write drama. No plays from either writer have survived. While both dramatists composed in both genres, Andronicus was most appreciated for his tragedies and Naevius for his comedies; their successors tended to specialise in one or the other, which led to a separation of the subsequent development of each type of drama. By the beginning of the 2nd century BCE, drama was firmly established in Rome and a guild of writers (collegium poetarum) had been formed.

The Roman comedies that have survived are all fabula palliata (comedies based on Greek subjects) and come from two dramatists: Titus Maccius Plautus (Plautus) and Publius Terentius

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Afer (Terence). In re-working the Greek originals, the Roman comic dramatists abolished the role of the chorus in dividing the drama into episodes and introduced musical accompaniment to its dialogue (between one-third of the dialogue in the comedies of Plautus and two-thirds in those of Terence). The action of all scenes is set in the exterior location of a street and its complications often follow from eavesdropping. Plautus, the more popular of the two, wrote between 205 and 184 BCE and twenty of his comedies survive, of which his farces are best known; he was admired for the wit of his dialogue and his use of a variety of poetic meters. All of the six comedies that Terence wrote between 166 and 160 BCE have survived; the complexity of his plots, in which he often combined several Greek originals, was sometimes denounced, but his double-plots enabled a sophisticated presentation of contrasting human behaviour.

No early Roman tragedy survives, though it was highly regarded in its day; historians know of three early tragedians-Quintus Ennius, Marcus Pacuvius and Lucius Accius. From the time of the empire, the work of two tragedians survives-one is an unknown author, while the other is the Stoic philosopherSeneca. Nine of Seneca's tragedies survive, all of which are fibula crepidata (tragedies adapted from Greek originals); his Phaedra, for example, was based on Euripides' Hippolytus.

V. Match the words with their definition

VI. Read each of the sentences below. Try to explain the meaning of the underlined words. Do not use a dictionary.

1.The Roman historian Livy wrote that the Romans first experienced theatre in the 4th century, with a performanceby Etruscan actors.

2.The successors tended to specialise in one or the other.

3.By the beginning of the 2nd century BCE, drama was firmly established in Rome and a guild of writers had been formed.

4.The theatre of ancient Rome was a thriving and diverse art form.

5.In order to find the main idea of a paragraph, first you need to find the topic.

6.Historians know of three early tragedians-Quintus Ennius, Marcus Pacuvius and Lucius Accius.

7.In re-working the Greek originals, the Roman comic dramatists abolished the role of the chorus in dividing the drama into episodes.

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8.The theatre of ancient Rome was a thriving and diverse art form, ranging from festival performances of street theatre and acrobatics.

9.The Hellenization of Roman culture in the 3rd century BCE encouraged the development of Latin literature of the highest quality for the stage.

VII. Reread the text ―Roman theatre‖ and complete the summary

The ______________(1) was a thriving and diverse art form, ranging from

______________(2)performances of _____________(3)and acrobatics, to the staging of

____________ (4) and broadly appealing situation ___________, to the_______________, verbally elaborate ___________(5) of ____________(6). Although Rome had a native tradition of performance, the _____________(7)of _____________(8) in the 3rd century BCE had a profound and energizing effect on Roman theatre and encouraged the development of

____________(9) of the highest quality for the stage. Following the expansion of the

______________(10) into several Greek territories between 270–240, Rome encountered

_____________(11). From the later years of the republic and by means of the

___________________(12)

VIII. Discuss these questions in small groups.

1.What does the development of Western theatre connected with?

2.What do you think about the foundation of the Roman theatre and its influence on the ancient Roman culture?

3.Who was the most significant person in the Roman comedy?

4.Do you think Roman plays were popular?

5.What do you think about Roman tragedy?

6.Think of the reasons about such difficult survival of Roman tragedy.

7. What role did the music play in ancient plays? Is it important in the modern plays? Why?

IX. Choose one of the questions above and write a paragraph about it

I. Reading for a purpose.

You are going to read thetext about early Medieval theatre. By the Early Middle Ages, churches in Europe began staging dramatized versions of particular biblical events on specific days of the year. These dramatizations were included in order to vivify annual celebrations. Symbolic objects and actions – vestments, altars, censers, and pantomime performed by priests – recalled the events which Christian ritual celebrates. One of the greatest liturgicalsymbols of this epoch is Hrosvitha (c.935–973), a canoness in northern Germany, wrote six plays modeled on Terence'scomedies but using religious subjects. are the first known plays composed by a female dramatist and the first identifiable Western dramatic works of the post-classical era.

Write as many questions as you’d like to ask about early Medieval theatre. Use only theatrical vocabulary.

II. Translate the following words and word combinations.

theatrical activity, mime, dramatized versions, audience, crude scenes, performer Byzantine theatre, pantomime, recitations, tragedy, comedy, dance, theatrical history.

III. Sharpen your Reading skills Main ideas

You know that good readers look for the topic of what they are reading. Good readers also look for the main idea. The main idea is the writer‘s most important point about the topic.

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To find the main idea of a paragraph, ask yourself, ―What does the author want me to know about the topic?‖

How Do You Find the Main Idea of a Paragraph? In order to find the main idea of a paragraph, first you need to find the topic. Then you need to ask yourself ―What does the author want me to know about the topic?‖ The answer is the main idea. Many times you will find the answer in one sentence. This is called the topic sentence. The topic sentence states the main idea of the paragraph. The topic sentence is often the first sentence of a paragraph, but sometimes it is the last sentence or a sentence in the middle of the paragraph.

A. Read the paragraph. Find the topic of each paragraph. Then underline the sentence that tells the main idea

1. Constantinople had two theatres that were in use as late as the 5th century CE. However, the true importance of the Byzantines in theatrical history is their preservation of many classical Greek texts and the compilation of a massive encyclopedia called the Suda, from which is derived a large amount of contemporary information on Greek theatre.

Topic:

2.By the Early Middle Ages, churches in Europe began staging dramatized versions of particular biblical events on specific days of the year. These dramatizations were included in order to vivify annual celebrations. Symbolic objects and actions – vestments, altars, censers, and pantomime performed by priests – recalled the events which Christian ritual celebrates. These were extensive sets of visual signs that could be used to communicate with a largely illiterate audience

Topic:

3.From the 5th century, Western Europe was plunged into a period of general disorder that lasted (with a brief period of stability under the Carolingian Empire in

the 9th century) until the 10th century. As such, most organized theatrical activities disappeared in Western Europe. While it seems that small nomadic bands traveled around Europe throughout the period, performing wherever they could find an audience, there is no evidence that they produced anything but crude scenes.

Topic:

4.Hrosvitha (c.935–973), a canoness in northern Germany, wrote six plays modeled on Terence's comedies but using religious subjects. These six plays – Abraham, Callimachus, Dulcitius, Gallicanus, Paphnutius, and Sapientia – are the first known plays composed by a female dramatist and the first identifiable Western dramatic works of the post-classical era. They were first published in 1501 and had considerable influence on religious and didactic plays of the sixteenth century.

Topic:

IV. SUPPORTING DETAILS

As you know, the sentences in a paragraph are all about one topic. Together they develop one main idea. To help you understand the main idea, the writer adds supporting details. The supporting details give more information about the topic. They are not as general as the main idea. After you identify the topic and the main idea, you should look for details that support it

Supporting ideascan be facts, examples, or reasons. Supporting details help you understand more about the main idea. They tell who, what, when, where, why, how, how much or how many

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B. One sentence in each group below is the main idea. The other sentences are supporting details.

Read the following paragraphs. Identify the main idea and write it in the space provided. Then make a list of details that support the main idea.

1. Beginning with Hrosvitha of Gandersheim in the 10th century, Medieval drama was for the most part very religious and moral in its themes, staging and traditions. The most famous examples of medieval plays are the English cycle dramas, the York Mystery Plays, the Chester Mystery Plays, the Wakefield Mystery Plays and the N-Town Plays, as well as the morality play,

Everyman

Main Idea

Supporting details

2. Due to a lack of surviving records and texts, a low literacy rate of the general population, and the opposition of the clergy to some types of performance, there are few surviving sources on medieval drama of the early and high medieval periods. However, by the late period, dramaand theatre began to become more secularized and a larger number of records survive documenting plays and performances.

Main Idea

Supporting details

3. Medieval theatre refers to the theatre of Europe between the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century A.D. and the beginning of the Renaissance in approximately the 15th century A.D. Medieval theatre covers all drama produced in Europe over that thousand year period and refers to a variety of genres, including liturgical drama, mystery plays, morality plays, farces and masques.

Main Idea

Supporting details

4. As such, most organized theatrical activities disappeared in Western Europe. While it seems that small nomadic bands traveled around Europe throughout the period, performing wherever they could find an audience, there is no evidence that they produced anything but crude scenes.

These performers were denounced by the Church during the Dark Ages as they were viewed as dangerous and pagan.

Main Idea

Supporting details

5. Liturgical drama was sung responsively by two groups and did not involve actors impersonating

characters. However, sometime between 965 and 975, Aethelwold of Winchester composed the Regularis Concordia (Monastic Agreement) which contains a playlet complete with directions for performance.

Main Idea

Supporting details

TEXT IV.

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TRANSITION AND EARLY MEDIEVAL THEATRE, 500–1050

Medieval theatre refers to the theatre of Europe between the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century A.D. and the beginning of the Renaissance in approximately the 15th century A.D. Medieval theatre covers all drama produced in Europe over that thousand year period and refers to a variety of genres, including liturgical drama, mystery plays, morality plays, farces and masques. Beginning with Hrosvitha of Gandersheim in the 10th century, Medieval drama was for the most part very religious and moral in its themes, staging and traditions. The most famous examples of medieval plays are the English cycle dramas, the York Mystery Plays, the Chester Mystery Plays, the Wakefield Mystery Plays and the N-Town Plays, as well as the morality play,

Every man.

Due to a lack of surviving records and texts, a low literacy rate of the general population, and the opposition of the clergy to some types of performance, there are few surviving sources on medieval drama of the early and high medieval periods. However, by the late period, drama and theatre began to become more secularized and a larger number of records survive documenting plays and performances.

As the Western Roman Empire fell into decay through the 4th and 5th centuries, the seat of Roman power shifted to Constantinople and the Eastern Roman Empire, today called the Byzantine Empire. While surviving evidence about Byzantine theatre is slight, existing records show that mime, pantomime, scenes or recitations from tragedies and comedies, dances, and other entertainments were very popular. Constantinople had two theatres that were in use as late as the 5th century CE. However, the true importance of the Byzantines in theatrical history is their preservation of many classical Greek texts and the compilation of a massive encyclopedia called the Suda, from which is derived a large amount of contemporary information on Greek theatre.

From the 5th century, Western Europe was plunged into a period of general disorder that lasted (with a brief period of stability under the Carolingian Empire in the 9th century) until the 10th century.

As such, most organized theatrical activities disappeared in Western Europe. While it seems that small nomadic bands traveled around Europe throughout the period, performing wherever they could find an audience, there is no evidence that they produced anything but crude scenes.

These performers were denounced by the Church during the Dark Ages as they were viewed as dangerous and pagan.

By the Early Middle Ages, churches in Europe began staging dramatized versions of particular biblical events on specific days of the year. These dramatizations were included in order to vivify annual celebrations. Symbolic objects and actions – vestments, altars, censers, and pantomime performed by priests – recalled the events which Christian ritual celebrates. These were extensive sets of visual signs that could be used to communicate with a largely illiterate audience. These performances developed into liturgical dramas, the earliest of which is the Whom do you Seek (Quem-Quaeritis) Easter trope, dating from ca. 925. Liturgical drama was sung responsively by two groups and did not involve actors impersonating characters. However, sometime between 965 and 975, Aethelwold of Winchester composed the Regularis Concordia (Monastic Agreement) which contains a playlet complete with directions for performance.

Hrosvitha (c.935–973), a canoness in northern Germany, wrote six plays modeled on Terence's comedies but using religious subjects. These six plays – Abraham, Callimachus, Dulcitius, Gallicanus, Paphnutius, and Sapientia – are the first known plays composed by a female dramatist and the firstidentifiable Western dramatic works of the post-classical era. They were first published in 1501 and had considerable influence on religious and didactic plays of the sixteenth century. Hrosvitha was followed by Hildegard of Bingen (d. 1179), a Benedictine abbess, who wrote a Latinmusical drama called OrdoVirtutum in 1155.

V. Match the words with their definition

VI. Read each of the sentences below. Try to explain the meaning of the underlined words. Do not use a dictionary

1.Byzantine theatre was very popular for its pantomime shows.

2.By the Early Middle Ages, churches in Europe began staging dramatized versions of particular biblicalevents.

3.During the Dark Ages as they were viewed as dangerous and pagan.

4.Aethelwold of Winchester composed the Regularis Concordia with directions for performance.

5.These were extensive sets of visual signs that could be used to communicate with a largely illiterate audience.

6.Gallicanus, Paphnutius, and Sapientia – are the first known plays composed by a female dramatist

7. Small nomadic bands traveled around Europe they could find an audience 8. While surviving evidence about Byzantine theatre is slight, mime,

pantomime and other entertainments were very popular.

9. Constantinople had two theatresthat were in use as late as the 5th century CE.

VII. Reread the text ―Transition and early Medieval theatre, 500–1050‖ and complete the summary.

_______ (1)refers to the theatre of Europe between the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century A.D. and the beginning of the Renaissance in approximately the 15th century A.D. Medieval theatre covers all ___________ (2)produced in Europe over that thousand year period and refers to a variety of ________ (3), including liturgical drama, mystery plays, morality plays,

_________ (4) and masques.As such, most organized ___________(5)activities disappeared in Western Europe. While it seems that small nomadic bands traveled around Europe throughout the period, performing wherever they could find an audience, there is no evidence that they produced anything but crude ____________. (6)These performers were denounced by the Church during the Dark Ages as they were viewed as dangerous and pagan.By the Early Middle Ages, churches in Europe began staging _________ (7)versions of particular biblical events on specific days of the year. These _________(8) were included in order to vivify annual celebrations.These were extensive sets of visual signs that could be used to communicate with a largely illiterate ________.(9)

These ___________ (10) developed into liturgical dramas, the earliest of which is the Whom do you Seek (Quem-Quaeritis) Easter trope, dating from ca. 925. Liturgical drama was sung

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responsively by two groups and did not involve actors impersonating characters. However, sometime between 965 and 975, Aethelwold of Winchester composed the Regularis Concordia (Monastic Agreement) which contains a playlet complete with directions for __________ (11)

VIII Discuss these questions in small groups.

1.What was the Medieval theatre refered to?

2.What do you think about Medieval theatre/ Was it an independent thetare? 3.Why were there few surviving sources on Medieval drama of the early and

high Medieval periods?

4.Why did most theatrical activities disappear in Western Europe?

5.What is Suda?

6.Who was Hrosvitha? What was her influence n the Medieval drama?

7.Do you know any liturgical drama? Can you explain what is it?

8.What role did Byzantines play in theatrical history

IX. Choose one of the questions above and write a paragraph about it

I. Reading for a purpose.

You are going to read thetext about high and late Medieval theatre, where all types of drama, comedy and tragedy appeared and where the importance of the High Middle Ages in the development of theatre is demonstated.The actors in plays were drawn from the local population. For example, at Valenciennes in 1547, more than 100 roles were assigned to 72 actors. Plays were staged on pageant wagon stages, which were platforms mounted on wheels used to move scenery.

Write as many questions as you’d like to ask about late Medieval theatre. Use only theatrical vocabulary.

II. Translate the following words and word combinations.

Audience, farce, medieval drama, morality play, platform stage, scenery, actor,clown,theatre,religious, to stage, play, festiva, liturgical drama .

III. Sharpen your Reading skills Main ideas

You know that good readers look for the topic of what they are reading. Good readers also look for the main idea. The main idea is the writer‘s most important point about the topic.

To find the main idea of a paragraph, ask yourself, ―What does the author want me to know about the topic?‖

How Do You Find the Main Idea of a Paragraph?

In order to find the main idea of a paragraph, first you need to find the topic. Then you need to ask yourself ―What does the author want me to know about the topic?‖ The answer is the main idea. Many times you will find the answer in one sentence. This is called the topic sentence. The topic sentence states the main idea of the paragraph. The topic sentence is often the first sentence of a paragraph, but sometimes it is the last sentence or a sentence in the middle of the paragraph.

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