Unit 7 Part 1 Vocabulary

By Felipe Medrado
Pacify: to attempt to satisfy the numerous unseen
spirits that tribes believed controlled the world.
Ritual: dramatic performance with plot from
myth, containing acting and performances.
Shaman: Chief representative of the gods,
the medicine man, witch doctor.
Hieroglyphics: One of the first written language, and medium
used by Pharoahs in ancient Egypt to write philosophies.
Pharoahs: The rulers of ancient Egypt.
Book of Job: excerpt from the Old Testament that tells of the
mortal man Job, who is manipulated by the Devil and God, who
wager over his faith.
Old Testament: First half of the Christian Bible, also
known as the Torah by those of the Jewish faith.
City Dionysia: one of four Dionysian festivals, held in
March which developed into a festival of tragedies.
Deus Ex Machina: a Latin phrase translated
to “god in the machine”.
Dithyrambs: dancing and singing hymns sung
by the greeks in honor of the god Dionysus.
Mantle: an element of Greek attire, also known as the
himation. It was draped around the right shoulder.
Periaktois: Triangular prisms that could be
revolved for scenery changes.
Skene: A small building in the side of the
orchestra where the actors changed costumes.
Thespian: originates from an individual named
Thespis; also another way of saying “actor”.
Claque: people paid by the Roman Theatre to
arouse the audience into clapping and shouting.
Closet Drama: plays to be read rather than
performed.
Interpretive Dance: A dance that tells a
story.
Peking Opera: Due to Chinese theatre featuring chanting, singing,
and musical accompaniment, westerners attributed this title.
Bunraku: also known as “doll theatre”, which
became popular during the 17th century.
Flowerway: a ramp that extends through the
audience for actors to enter.
Kabuki: Japanese drama which incorporated song and dance,
thought to be more melodramatic and sensational than Noh plays.
Kyogen: the comic interlude during the
depressing segments of Noh theatre.
Noh: Japanese plays written and created
only for the aristocracy.
Greenroom: A place where actors changed
and relaxed before and after performances.
Sanskrit: A literary language used and
understood only by the aristocracy in India.
 The End
Hope you enjoyed the presentation!