06/22/2018
WORDS GIVEN FORM: SEEING MY THESIS COME TO LIFE
Just a few short days before I landed in Athens to participate in GoGlobal Greece, I had just submitted my undergraduate honors thesis exploring what Aristophanes’ Old Comedy “Wasps” can tell us about the experience of fifth century Athenian law through the use of stagecraft. My thesis made going on this trip extra special in that it meant I was visiting many historic sites that bore direct relevance to the work that I had been doing over the past twelve months. While my research had taught me a great deal about many of the locations we were going to visit, no words on a page could adequately prepare me to experience these marvels firsthand.
My first encounter with Old Comedy in Greece was an unexpected one, as it came in the shape of a small figurine in the Archeological Museum of Nafplio. This statuette depicts an actor wearing the comically grotesque mask and bodysuit typical of Old Comedy. While my other classmates took little notice of this small figurine, I couldn’t help but stand in awe as I examined, for the first time, tangible proof that my thesis was not merely theory and conjecture that exists only in books and journals, but inhabited tangible objects and spaces that I would soon visit myself. A taste of what was to come.
One such space was the magnificent theatre at Argos, where I received the first of many opportunities to bring ancient theatre to life. As my fellow student Karthik explained in an earlier post, the theatre could seat an audience of approximately 20,000, and could do so by having its tiered seating reach high up into the hill. It was at the uppermost seats of the theatre, overlooking the breathtaking vista of the city below, that I performed a dramatic reading of the night watchman’s iconic monologue from the beginning of Aeschylus’ “Agamemnon”. Delivering these words was more than a mere recitation, because for the first time I truly felt in touch with the performance tradition that has persisted over two thousand years, and one that has inspired me and many others around the world to study classics and performance. To then descend the stairs and hold an impromptu rehearsal of the “Ode to Man” choral ode from Sophocles’ “Antigone” that we had been rehearsing for months prior was one of the most invigorating experiences during my studies in theatre.
Having arrived back in Athens after two long weeks of travelling around the country, the day had finally come – I would get a chance to visit the Theatre of Dionysus and the Athenian Agora. These sites were particularly exciting to me because these were two locations that I had discussed at length in my thesis. Going into these spaces, I had very strong notions about what to expect when I arrived and what I was going to see. Yet when I arrived, my initial reaction was that of shock. For my thesis focused on fifth-century Athens, and it was from this time period that I had formed my preconceived notions about how these historic sites would look. In doing so, I had failed to take into account how the space may have changed over time, particularly in how dramatically the space would have been altered in the Roman era. When my preconceived notions did not align with what my eyes were seeing, I couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed. However, it was in that moment that I smiled, for I realized that the classical world could evoke such a strong emotional response in me, even though we are separated by thousands of years. This was a needed reminder that these ancient sites existed beyond the realms of not only my studies, but also my imagination, and that their history is richer and more varied than I gave it credit for because it has persevered through the ages. It was only by being in this space that could have taught me this crucial lesson, and one that will continue to push me to continue learning and discovering for years to come.
My last encounter with my thesis in Greece poetically ends where it begins, in a museum. This time, after attending a thought-provoking lecture given by Dr Platon Mavromoustakos, my wonderful professor and thesis supervisor Dr. Hallie Marshall pointed out a vase to me at the Benaki Museum. This vase was not just any vase but a depiction of the chorus of old men in “Wasps”, which was the primary focus of my thesis. My primary argument in my thesis was that the stagecraft was an essential aspect of the performance and could provide meaning that other sources could not. To see these grotesque actors simply wearing antennae like bees was unbelievably gratifying, for the central argument I worked so hard to make was perfectly illustrated on this vase. This moment alone made the entire trip worth it for me. Sometimes, a picture really can say a thousand words (or in the case of my case, twenty thousand).
Samuel Jing
Bachelor of Arts, Theatre Studies (Hons.)
UBC Class 2018
