Ancient Greek Theatre and Drama - 1648 Words

Ancient Greece, the birthplace of theatre, continues to greatly influence theatre today. Drama is a form of poetry, because dialogue was spoken or sung in verses. Many Greek plays are still relevant today. Some plays survived on their merits, while others were preserved from academic interest or by accident (Peter Arnott). The Great Dionysia was an important yearly religious celebration and festival, honoring Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and fertility. The Great Dionysia is where theatre first began. Also, the actors of ancient Greek theatre were treated much differently than actors are today. They heavily impacted ancient theatre and shaped the way performers act today. Most actors performed in tragedies and comedies, the two main†¦show more content†¦. â€Å"It was the ancient Greeks specifically, the Athenians of the 400s BCE, who perfected the two genres known as tragedy and comedy, which defined European theatre for centuries following† (Sacks, David). In Ath ens, in the sixth century, the role of comedy in theatre began to expand. Today, historians do not have a clear picture of the origins of Greek comedy. Oddly, some of what is known of comedy in Greece came through pottery. Exquisite clay pieces illustrated the impact comedy had on the world. The pottery was covered with beautiful designs and pictures. It was developed in various states around the country, but was most popular in Athens. Comedic plays were meant to be funny and riotous, just like they are today. This form of theatre often made fun of politicians, fellow artists, and philosophers. It also was an insight into Greek society. It provided details on the workings of politics, religion, education, and warfare during this time. During the sixth century BC, all popular comedies were written by Aristophanes. He was a playwright who competed in major Athenian festivals. This incredible man wrote forty plays, and eleven of those are still performed today. He is most famous for writing one of the most controversial pieces of literature to come from ancient Greece. It was called Lysistrata and was a humorous tale about a women who leads a female coalition to end the war in Greece. This was important in ancient GreeceShow MoreRelatedImpact Of Religion On Greek Theatre893 Words   |  4 Pages Religion had a very large impact on Greek theatre. Religion was related to many everyday life tasks in ancient Greece such as festivals, initiations, and oracles. Religion was a very important subject and was something they used in their everyday lives. This is why, in my opinion ,religion had a high impact on Greek theatre. â€Å" The religion of Greek people is an important aspect of the Greek culture.†(Religion in Greece Source:www.greeka.com) Greek religion was a form of polytheism, whichRead MoreTheatre As A Form Of Entertainment1460 Words   |  6 PagesTheatre is the activity or profession of acting in, producing, directing, or writing plays. Theatre is where playwrights produce plays, directors manage rehearsals and actors enact on stage. The coming together of all those components make up theatre, but there’s also a small piece missing. Theatre is complete when an audience comes together to experience the play. Theatre to many people is a form of entertainment. Just like now a days people go to the movies to indulge in a form of amusement, that’sRead MoreRoman Theatre : A Diverse Art Form1045 Words   |  5 PagesRoman theatre initially began in 240 BC when Greek theatre was discovered and translated to Latin, then being brought to Rome. The first drama was held at Lu di Romani, the Roman Festival or the Roman Games. This occurred just before Rome became an empire in 27BC. There were many types of these festivals during a year for all sorts of reasons according to history. Theatre was, and is a diverse art form. It ranged from festival performances, street theatre, and acrobatics to eloquent tragediesRead MoreEssay on Ancient Greek Theatre1179 Words   |  5 PagesThe Greek theatre tradition of the time was rooted in the spirituality of its people, developed with the help and instruction from the politicians of the day and analysed by the philosophical contingent of the age. To discover how the theatre tradition of the fifth century was influenced by the spiritual, philosophical and political mindset of its time, one must first look at how the theatre of this age was first developed. The Greek theatre tradition was born at a theatre built beneath theRead MoreThe Festival Of The Gods Of Wine And Fertility1562 Words   |  7 PagesDionysus was celebrated by the ancient Greeks as the God of wine and fertility. Around 534 B.C.E., the Athenians and people from all parts of Greece started a tradition of coming together to worship Dionysus. All work and other activities in the City of Dionysia would come to a halt for a week so that the festivities could take place. The festival of Dionysus paved the way for plays and performances throughout history. For the first time actors started to be paid to rehearse their parts and performRead MoreDifference between Greek and Modern Theatres1514 Words   |  7 Pages The Difference between Greek and Modern theatres Kimberly Legaspi February 25th, 2013 Word count: 1478 Difference between Greek and Modern Theatres   Theatre today as in ancient Greek times is a popular form of entertainment. Today’s theatres share many similarities with the Greek  predecessors however they are also very different. There are in fact  many differences for example; layout, special effects, seating  arrangement, the importance of drama and religion, setting, location  and architecturalRead MoreThe Challenges Of Seamus Heaney1406 Words   |  6 PagesIdentifying features of Greek theatrical conventions and how Heaney used these to shape his play. Heaney also presents social and political issues through The Burial at Thebes in a way that resonates with a contemporary audience. The responsibility of the translator of a piece first intended for performance are complex. The challenges can be different depending on whether a translation is commissioned for performance or for publication in text, or both. Translation of an ancient Greek play is far moreRead MoreQuestions On Ancient Greek Theatre1413 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction to Theatre 14 December 2015 Take Home Final: Collection 3, Question 1~5 Question 1 The ancient Greek theatre was born with Greek’s belief of God in their festival. So at the beginning of its evolution it was only a worship ceremony in Greek society. Later the ancient Greek theatre was not built for the audience, but for the artist. It can reflect the partnership between the architect and the playwright and actors. Ancient Greek drama is the world’s oldest theatre and also theRead MoreCompare and Contrast Othello and Waiting for Godot Plays Essay1104 Words   |  5 Pages4/25/13 Oedipus the king is a representative of ancient Greek drama by Sophocles. The Latin title of the play is Oedipus Rex. Though produced as the second play in the three sequences of Theban plays by Sophocles, it finds its way at the top of the sequence as a result of internal chronology. The next play in the sequence is Oedipus at colonus and finally Antigone. The play is an excellent example of Greek tragic plays (Bloom, 51). Waiting for Godot is a play by Samuel Beckett, an Irish who wonRead MoreSignificance Of Ancient Greek Architecture988 Words   |  4 PagesAlijah Oliver October 26, 2015 Period 6 Outstanding Architecture Around this time in age things were booming for Ancient Greece, but one thing they don t go Into too much about is their architecture†¦ which I am here to discuss. Ancient Greek Architecture was very beneficial because they built temples, theatres, and great cities. One of the first major aspects in the ancient Greeks architecture that was beneficial to cultural diffusion is temples. First off I would like to explain the way they used