ENGLISH LITERATURE (CBSE/UGC NET)

Detailed explanation-1: -All the known and surviving Greek tragedies include more than three speaking roles or parts. The three actors’ rule, always strictly applied, limited the number of actual persons allowed to play these parts to three. This means that the actors in a production had to take on more than one role or part in a given play.

Detailed explanation-2: -Besides the chorus, no more than three actors were allowed on stage at any time. This meant that Greek actors often had to play more than one part. To suggest different characters actors wore masks and costumes that they changed over the course of the play.

Detailed explanation-3: -The maximum number of actors required for any Greek tragedy is three. If you look at the plays, you will see that there are never more than three speaking characters onstage at any one time. Each actor could quickly and easily change characters by simply changing his mask and costume.

Detailed explanation-4: -Actors performed plays as a form of worship to the god Dionysus. Early in Greek theater only one actor would perform with a chorus which sang a dialogue. Later, three actors would perform in plays. The actors took on multiple roles using masks so the audience could tell the characters apart.

Detailed explanation-5: -All Greek actors were men. They wore masks and played the female roles as well as the male roles. One character could have several different masks. If the character was happy, the actor would wear a mask with a smiling face.