Characteristics Of Greek Drama

Characteristics Of Greek Drama
The modern word "drama" comes from the Greek word "dran" which carries the meaning "to do".
The earliest origins of dramas are the hymns, called dithyrambs. Every Greek city had a theatre that
has impacted various religious festivals. At first, theatres were utilized for celebrations. The three
genres of drama were drama, satyr plays, and most essential of all, tragedy. Comedies are diverting
and have joyful endings. Tragedies are serious and tragic. In numerous tragedies, fate or some flaws
prompt the defeat of the major character. Greek drama mirrored the imperfections and beliefs of the
Greek society. As a result, individuals from society embodied both positive and negative messages
and fused them into their everyday lives.
Scholars debate ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
They deal with universal emotions and feelings that can be felt all across the world. This can be seen
in Antigone. Everyone can relate to the sibling rivalry and disagreements. In Antigone the
Sophocles' sisters, Ismene and Antigone show up as foils and opponents. Ismene is reasonable,
meek, and devoted, full–figured and excellent in being a decent young lady. Conversely, Antigone is
stubborn, careless, and touchy, slender, and refuses in being a young lady like the rest. Two sisters
despite the fact that they differ they totally value one another. The characters are overwhelming yet
they symbolize the extreme feelings that we all experience sooner or later in our lives. This teaches
us that even though some qualities set us apart, love can still exist. Antigone also investigates
expectations of woman and the roles they carry in society. Creon anticipates that the men will be the
essential performers in the public eye as the ladies take on an optional role. The tenacious and
determined Antigone defies these thoughts and takes the crucial point and presents the difficulties to
the men surrounding her. From these, the society, women in particular are driven to take a stand for
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Essay Greek Theater
Ancient Greek Theater is the first historical record of "drama," which is the Greek term meaning "to
do" or "to act." Beginning in the 5th century BC, Greek Theater developed into an art that is still
used today. During the golden age of the Athenians plays were created, plays that are considered
among the greatest works of world drama. Today there are thousands of well–known plays and films
based on the re–make of ancient drama.
Theater originated from the religious rites of ancient Greek tribes. Located in northern Greece, a cult
was formed to worship the God of wine and fertility, Dionysus. The cult held religious celebrations
which included large consumptions of alcohol, animal sacrifices, and sometimes ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
The government chose wealthy patrons who financed the plays and the competitors who performed
in them. During this time period, providing for the productions meant tax exemption for the
individual and his family that year.
Once plays started being written, the number of interested spectators increased. In order to satisfy
the Greeks amphitheaters were constructed all over Greece. Three well–known theaters were the
theater at Delphi, the Attic Theater and the theater of Dionysus built at the foot of the Acropolis in
Athens. During their prime time, the plays attracted crowds of 30,000 and more. The stands were
built around the orchestra and up hillsides; somewhat like a baseball stadium today. This made it
possible to seat more than 17,000 spectators at a time.
The Dionysian Festivals lasted for several days along with the drama competitions. The
performances were always done during the day and the drinking at night! Little or no makeup was
worn by the actors, instead they wore masks with exaggerated facial expressions. Actors were
always male and played more than one role, so the masks helped portray different characters, races,
and sexes. Not much scenery was used and usually the majority of the play took place in the
orchestra. When attention was shifted to the actors, however, the action was played on stage.
The plays were lit by

Oedipus the King: A Tragic Hero Essay
In most dramatic plays, tragedy usually strikes the protagonist of the play and leads him, or her, to
experience devastating losses. While tragic instances can be avoided, there are other instances where
one's fate and future is out of the protagonist's control. In Oedipus the King, written by Sophocles
and first performed around 249 BC, Oedipus cannot escape his destiny and even though he tries to
overcome and circumvent prophecy, he finds out that supernatural forces will get what they want in
the end. Oedipus meets the criteria of a tragic hero set forth by Aristotle and his fate within the play
demonstrates that one does not always have free will in their lives. Traditionally, in Greek drama,
tragedy is meant to reaffirm the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
(Aristotle)
Moreover, "tragedy evolved from the choral lyric poem in honor of Dionysus, sung and danced
around an altar of Dionysus in circular dancing place" ("Greek Tragic Drama"). In Oedipus the
King, Oedipus can be considered to be the tragic hero of the play. Aristotle's definition of a tragic
hero holds that the tragic hero is "a person who is neither perfect in virtue or justice, nor one who
will fall into misfortune through vice or depravity, but rather, on who succumbs through some
miscalculation" (Brown). Aristotle also believed that the tragic hero's misfortune or demise was not
"wholly deserved" and that the punishment would exceed the crime that he or she committed
("Aristotle"). The tragic hero's fall was also meant to serve as an allegory and intended to "raise
awareness [or] gain self–knowledge" ("Aristotle"). In many cases, the tragic hero's fall is due to a
tragic flaw that serves as a catalyst for his or her demise. In other cases, supernatural forces help to
cause the tragic hero to fall ("Tragedy: The Basics"). In the case of Oedipus, it is King Laius that
initiates the conflict between himself and Oedipus who retaliates against the king and kills him in
self–defense. When Oedipus is told the truth, he cannot understand what has happened, which is a
direct result of being lied to about his biological parents. When Oedipus is finally able to piece
together the fragmented facts that

Oedipus The King Setting
Oedipus the King
Visible settings were absent in ancient Greek drama. Many settings were primarily insinuated
throughout the beginning dialogue, within the prologue, which left the audience the duty to imagine
the setting. The play presumably takes place in the ancient Greek city of Thebes, as suggested by
Oedipus who states "My children, ancient Cadmus' newest care". Cadmus, being Oedipus's "great–
great–grandfather", was the founder and ancient ruler of Thebes. However, Oedipus is not aware of
his historical family background. The Priest also illustrates the setting, for the audience through his
dialogue where he states that they are sitting "before [Oedipus's] alters," or palace.
Many actors primarily wore ancient Greek masks in order to ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
However, I am torn between if he really did deserve it or not. Oedipus tried to overcome the gods
prophecy that was bestowed upon him. He ran away from his, believed to be, parents and killed the
king of Thebes, or he unknowingly killed his father. Therefore, it's as if he deserved his fate.
Afterall, nobody can be higher than the gods, as Oedipus thought he was. However, Oedipus might
have been trying to evade the gods prophecy as a way to protect his parents. It is discussed that
Oedipus left his 'parents' in order to save them from their fate, of him killing the father figure and
breeding the mother. However, this action inevitably lands him in that exact

Greek Theatre And Modern Theatre
Without a doubt, the Greek theatre remains one of the most recognized and distinctive works in the
world. While we associate many features of modern theatre with their Greek counterparts, ancient
theatre was a very different animal. You will be surprised at how much Ancient Greece has
influenced us today. Without such topics such as drama, democracy and the Olympics coming from
Ancient Greece, sport would not be important. Drama was a huge part of ancient Greece. Theatre
then became extremely popular performed everywhere including festivals. Greek Tragedy and
Comedy was significantly important as not only did it provide entertainment for the ancient Greeks,
but has continued to influence society today, inspiring us to create similar styles of theatre into
contemporary plays today. Within this essay I hope to show how these ancient plays have
transitioned into our modern theatre, and how directors today have morphed them into relevant and
relatable productions. M Cartwright wrote sources which provides us with information on both
Greek Comedy and Tragedy. In the 6th century BCE, Greek tragedy played an important and
influential role in theatre. The popular form of drama was performed all over Greece. The most
well–known playwrights have come from Greek tragedy such as Sophocles, and Euripides whose
plays remained recognised, and continued to be performed for years after their original premiere.
Comedy was also a popular type of theatre in the late 6th century. "The most famous playwrights of
the genre were Aristophanes and Menander and their works, and those of their contemporaries,
poked fun at politicians, philosophers, and fellow artists." (Cartwright 2017). The source informed
me the first appearance of Comedy, pottery in the 6th century, used for decoration, often portrayed
"actors dressed as horses, satyrs, and dancers in exaggerated costumes." (Cartwright 2017). Poetry
was also another early source of comedy. Archilochus and Hipponax were Greek poets whose satyr
works used crude and sexual humour. Cartwright explained in his source that these plays were
performed at the City of Dionysia and the Lenaea which were major religious festivals. Over the
course of the festivals, comedies were

A Midsummer Night 's Dream And The Taming Of The Shrew
A comedic story can be summed up as one thing; a hero who triumphs over evil and wins the day. In
these tales, our main character encounters around one hardship and overcomes it with much ease.
The ancient Greek playwrights had a similar view on comedic tales: in order for something to be a
comedy, the main character must reach a positive outcome. So no matter what comes their way, our
hero will be in a better spot than he was at the beginning. Well–known comedies include A
Midsummer Night 's Dream, The Taming of the Shrew, and Cyrano de Bergerac. In A Midsummer
Night's Dream and The Taming of the Shrew, the main character achieves their goal with few
hardships. Yet, in Cyrano de Bergerac, our main character's ambitions are never ... Show more
Yet, if he were to act sad and depressed, then the tale would be more of a tragedy, since it would
belabor the negative context. By focusing on Cyrano's point of view, Rostand was able to make a
pathetic situation seem humorous and hopeful. In this tragic event, Rostand accentuates Cyrano 's
support towards Roxane and by doing so, he makes the scene seem more of a heroic comedy.
Consequently, the tension between Cyrano and Roxane isn 't the only place where Cyrano 's wit is
up against the tragic play.
On the other hand, Cyrano's optimism counterbalances the play's tragic theme when he confronts De
Guiche, during a battle in Arras. De Guiche, who suffers from Cyrano's humiliations, decides to
betray the Gascons and sent the Spanish army to slaughter them. Despite this, Cyrano takes this as
an opportunity to show off his strength. He tells his fellow Gascons, "My friends, we shall add now
to our old Gascon arms with their six chevrons, blue and gold, a seventh, blood red!" (IV. 164).
Here, Cyrano seems especially proud of this chance, that he and his fellow soldiers will get the
chance to die in "honor." Not only that, but right before he charges into battle, Cyrano yells at a
Spanish offer who asks him, "Who are these men who are so fond of death?" (IV 200). Full of pride,
he replies, "The Cadets of Gascoyne, the defenders of Carbon de Castel–Jaloux, free fighters, free
lovers, free spenders." (IV 200). In this scene, despite the tragic event that De Guiche has

Greek Theatre Development
In the 6th century BCE, a new form of recreation and entertainment was taking place. A new artform
would revolutionize civilization in ancient Greece, and subsequently, the rest of the world. With this
new artform came many inventions and developments that have surpassed centuries and influenced
future creativity. With these developments came the theatre of ancient Greece.
While some sources claim that Greek theatre began around the 6th century, other sources claim that
the origins are vague and subject to debate. There is, however, evidence suggesting that the origins
of Greek theatre can trace back to when Greek farmers would celebrate with feasts, music, and
dancing after a bountiful harvest. Evidence also suggests that Greek theatre also originated as
entertainment for the god Dionysos. There is also not much evidence of how early Greek theatres
were built as they were constantly rebuilt. So far, the only evidence of the ambiance and
environment surrounding Greek theatre is in vase paintings.
Once Greek theater took off, it suddenly became the talk of the town, and by the end of the 6th
century BCE, every city in ancient Greece would hold a theatre, which was usually built along a
slope so that audiences sitting the farthest would be able to see the play take place. These
"theatrons", though constantly refurbished, had at least three sections: the orchestra, the skene, and
the audience. The orchestra was where all the acting and performances took place. It was the main

Modern Theatre Vs Greek Theatre
A Synopsis and comparison of Ancient Greek theater to present times Greece was the first culture to
significantly raise the standards not only for philosophical ideals, mathematical methods &
astronomical allegories, architectural influence, medical techniques, and much more, but also
ultimately, the most substantial contribution they charted was theater pioneering. What was
considered theatre back in ancient times is completely unrecognizable to what we are used to theater
nowadays.
Back in the Hellenistic period, 500 to 200 B.C., theatre served a completely different purpose than it
does today; it solely dealt with honoring their Dodekatheon gods rather than entertaining the crowd
and provoking thought. Arguably the theatre was the most important part of the Athenian religious
and social culture where everyone who worked extremely hard throughout the year would look
forward to the month that was dedicated to their most beloved god, Dionysus. Imagine living in 550
B.C., celebrating life for an entire month without having any obligations towards anyone. Dionysus
was the Greek god of grape harvest, and wine, who served as a symbol of pleasure and ecstasy
within Greek culture (Wickham 31). The logic behind that is that every one of the twelve gods
would be celebrated for a month. One might ask, how did they keep track of it? Valid question, but it
really stems from the extremely sophisticated technology and mathematics. One of the instruments
they used was the

Oedipus the King: The Greek Period
Oedipus: The Greek Period
Oedipus the King The Greek period, in the fourth and fifth centuries of B.C., evolved from a small
city called Athens, Europe. In this era, a sweep of talent and creativity placed a historical advance on
theater, that will dominate for years to come. This spirit most likely emerged from the defeat of the
Persian Empire, along with the sense of freedom and expression from the Athenian democracy. Four
great writers derived from this ancient astonishment. Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides were
three writers of tragedy, whereas Aristophanes was a famous comic dramatist. From these original
works came the play festivals using masks and boots to accommodate for the ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
In the Greek tragedies there is a basic outline that the authors followed consisting of five episodes
with choral odes between them. Prologos, was the first scene which was an introduction. Episode, is
the second scene which is dramatic one. Parodos, was the third scene, served as an entrance lyric by
the chorus. Stasimon is a choral ode, and the fifth Exodos delivers the parting lines by the chorus
and leaves the orchestra.
The choral odes in Oedipus the King is a good example of how the chorus was used to create a
reaction from the audience. The first choral ode was a prayer to the gods, which reveals the reality
of the plague as seen through the eyes of the people as a whole. The second reflects the reactions
from the accusations and counteraccusations of Oedipus and Tiresias. The third deals with the truth
or falsity of the divine prophecy. The fourth shows the chorus in a mode of feverish excitement
dealing with the secret birth of Oedipus. The last deals with the fate of Oedipus.
These tragedies started off as Dithyrambs which formed from myths to stories that wee translated
into words of song in addition to physical movement. They were the first step toward a literary
drama with both tragedy and comedy. These plays were demonstrated at the city of Dionysus
featuring Greek actors such as Thespis.
The plays consisted of three unities. The unity of action, time and

Similarities Between King Lear And Much Ado About Nothing
Lear Ado
(A Comparative Analysis of Dramatic Genres Between Shakespeare's, King Lear and Much Ado
About Nothing) Within the world of drama and performance, there are two central ends of the genre
spectrum. These are essentially the "light and dark" of the stage. These opposite ends of the
spectrum are comedy and tragedy, respectively. While some people may prefer one genre over the
other, these both find ways to tell great stories with greatly different methods. One eternally famous
playwright, William Shakespeare wrote countless plays in both of these styles. Two exquisite
examples of these genres are his King Lear, and Much Ado About Nothing. These plays demonstrate
the great contrast between comedy and tragedy through the high to low character falls or climbs,
amount of humor, and prominence of death and suffering. The greatest difference between comedy
and tragedy lies in the transition of how characters rise and fall. Comedies typically end with low
characters ending happily, heroes succeeding, and sources of tension find themselves in a ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The plot of Much Ado About Nothing is riddled with countless jabs, jokes, irony, and humorous
situations. Not all of the humor in a comedy has to be spoken. Some of the most comical moments
in the play occur when either Benedick and Beatrice are overhearing a conversation that their
friends purposely say to trick their respective hopeless romantic into falling in love. "Benedick and
Beatrice are deceived by their friends, but this deception stems from their delusion that they can
avoid love and marriage. While Benedick rambles about how there is no woman good enough, the
audience watches, amused, waiting for him to fall." (Windham). While a tragedy might have a few
comical moments, those are far outshadowed by the amount of grief and suffering that goes on
within the

Chorus In Medea
Who is your character and what is your status? My character in the Euripides play Medea is the
chorus. This means I speak along with 3 others as a part of the chorus. This is a feature of Greek
theatre and is used in all forms of it. The chorus in Greek theatre is used to represent the feelings of
the society that surrounds the character in the play and offers an opinion that may relate to the
thoughts of the audience. Traditionally in Greek theatre there are between 5 and 50 members of the
chorus (all male). The chorus in Greek theatre also traditionally did songs and dances in unison as
they represented on body of people. How will you make clear the time and period of the play? We
made the time and period of which the play is set in ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The classical masks with their extremely exaggerated features did this effectively and meant that the
emotion of the character was easily understood from a distance. What is the situation in the scene?
And How might the audience and/or the chorus respond to the order of events or the action in the
scene? In the scene we have chosen, the situation is that Medea has just sent her sons to Kreusa (the
woman Medea's Husband is marrying) daughter of Kreon (the King of Corinth) with a cape (that is
poisoned) disguised as a wedding gift as a way to ask that the sons may not be exiled from corinth
as what Medea has done is not of their doing and they should not be punished for Medea 's actions.
The part we begin with is with the chorus explaining that the fact that Medea has sent her sons to
Kreusa with this gift shows that she has quashed any hope the people had that she might not go
through with murdering her sons. Then we move on to hear from the Attendant that the gift was
received in grace by Kreusa and that Medea 's sons have been freed from exile. Medea although she
expected this news is not happy with the fact that it went as planned and feels sick within herself
that she should do such a thing. Then Medea sends the Attendant away and as the nurse comes out,
before she has a chance to speak, Medea sends the nurse into the house to bathe her boys. Medea
then does a gruelling monologue fighting with herself on whether or not she should go through

Greek Theatre And Medieval Drama
Greek Theatre and Medieval Drama: Distant Siblings Greek theatre and medieval drama were both
very popular artistic events in their own periods of performance. However, from ancient Greece to
the renaissance, time has set them apart in terms of methodology; their practitioners use a creative
process based off of different mindsets. Therefore, the significant time lapse between the two genres
has had an evident impact on the way theatre was perceived and presented. In comparing aspects
such as religious motivations, conditions of violence and character development, the distinct
theatrical natures of Greek theatre and medieval drama will be made apparent. Though both genres
of theatre are closely tied to religion, Greek theatre and medieval drama have different religious
motivations that impact the ways in which the theatrical event is utilized. In Greece, theatre was
used to entertain or please the Gods, more specifically the God Dionysus, during the most important
of the four Athenian festivals: the Great Dionysia. The first known Greek playwrights, such as
Thespis and Euripides, were chosen to compete in the festival and submit three tragedies and one
satyr play to be performed in front of approximately 15,000 spectators. In classical Greece, theatre
was the center of citizenship and society; religious ideologies towards Dionysus were not only
realized by performances, but strongly encouraged by the state. For example, if a citizen could not
afford to attend the

A True Classical German Theatre
The eighteenth century was witness both to efforts on Germany's part to amplify the influence that it
had culturally in Europe, as French theatre rose in importance and shadowed most of the remaining
continental attempts to find critical recognition, and to the emergence of a theatrical culture. It is
with the age of Schiller and Goethe that the creation of a true classical German theatre appears, one
which made its mark to the point that it is still traceable in today's theatre scene in German speaking
countries . Weimar Classicism came therefore about as what could best be defined a synthesis or
meeting of the ideas which belonged to separate movements which had preceded it – most
importantly, Romanticism and the Enlightenment – and ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The reason theatre rose in this age is also due to the different attitude which was displayed towards
those involved in it: an adequate pay towards actors was introduced, elevating drama from where it
had earlier found itself – that is, from what Eda Sagarra and Peter Skrine define "the opprobrium of
society" : this behaviour was testified in written form by Goethe's Regeln für Schauspieler, which he
wrote for the Weimar Court Theatre and described how tragedy should be represented on stage, with
attention to the formal demeanour required for the representation of noble feeling. These 'Rules', like
the ideas of Weimar classicism, dominated the German theatre for much of the nineteenth century.
The moral aspect of art in its different forms is therefore an important, defining characteristic of
Weimar classicism and of its plays, and can be analysed in the fields of philosophy and art, as well
as literature and music. These were considered the easiest ways for each group of the societal
hierarchy of the time to access both the arts scene and the lesson that was to be learned lying behind
each of these, as well as perhaps a way to begin to outline the identity Germany .
Perhaps a

The Three Types Of Drama In Ancient Greek Drama
Ancient Greeks used drama as a way of investigating the world they lived in. There are three genres
of drama: comedy, satyr plays, and most important of all, tragedy. Greek tragedy and Greek comedy
formed the cornerstone of modern theatre.
While comedy was mainly a way to mock men in power for their vanity and foolishness and satyr
plays on the other hand were short plays performed between the acts of tragedies and made fun of
the plight of the tragedy's characters, tragedy dealt with the big themes of love, loss, pride, the abuse
of power and the fraught relationships between men and gods.
Tragedy is a form of theatre with poetic elements, which was originated from Ancient Greece and it
reached its most significant form in Athens in the 5th century BC. Although, the tragic plots
presented in Greek tragedy were based on myths from the oral traditions of archaic epics, they were
presented by actors. The most important authors or as they also called playwrights of Greek
tragedies were Aeschylus, Sophocles and ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Even the death of a character was not allowed to be seen and it had to be heard from offstage. In
addition to this, the poet was not allowed to make comments or political statements through the play.
This gap was to be filled later by a less strict form of play, the Ancient Greek Comedy.
At the early years of Ancient Greek tragedy, the plays, which started in the morning and ended in the
evening, had only one male actor, who performed wearing a costume and a mask. The actor was
speaking to Corypheus, the leader of a group of 12 to 15 actors, called chorus that was only allowed
to sing and dance. Eventually, the number of actors was increased to three, no matter how many
characters were in the play. Each actor, after playing one character had to switch his mask and his
his costume and then reappear on stage as a different character.
The Ancient Greek

Descriptive Essay
Night Visitor Jack was sitting cross–legged on the wooden floor of his tree house. He shivered in the
evening air, slouching inside his hoodie, his eyes glued to the pages of his graphic novel. At eleven
years old, he was a voracious reader and completely unaware that the sun had set. He had been using
his flashlight for over an hour, propped under his chin so his hands could hold the book open. His
collie puppy, Lex, had been patient but was starting to think about his fluffy bed and treats in the
house. He pushed his head between the book and Jack, using his saddest face and even whimpering
a little. "Not yet, Lex," Jack complained, gently pushing him away. "They just got to the bridge.
Luther has the gargantuan magnet and he's going to use it to. . . ." Jack's voice trailed off as he re–
entered the story. Lex sighed and put his head back in Jack's lap until there was a soft ping sound
that made him sit bolt upright, head at attention, just as an arrow swooshed through the window.
Jack jumped up, his prized library card that he used as a bookmark fluttering to the floor. "Hey,
Jack!" called out a familiar voice. "Can I come up?" Jack froze. "Jack, I know you're up there. You
can't fool me!" "Who is it?" he asked, trying to sound braver than he felt. "Wonder Woman, of
course," the voice laughed. "Um, o–okay," he stammered, and then he heard feet on the ladder. His
friend Jill appeared, wearing a headband and toting a bow, Nerf arrows, and a coil of thin rope.
"What are

The Impact Of Ancient Greek Theater And Tragedy
Michimasa Kamata
HUM 101–007
3/17/16
The Impact of Ancient Greek Theater and Tragedy Ancient Greek culture has influenced our modern
culture in many ways from philosophy to medicine to government. We still use many of their
concepts, technology, and even alphabet system. Without ancient Greece, our modern world would
not have advanced as far. A significant contribution of the ancient Greek culture to the world today
is the Greek theater, more specifically the structure of tragedy. Some contributions are the structure
of tragedy in modern literature, rise of opera, and the creation of the theater. Greek drama originally
started out as a ritual to honor the god of wine, Dionysus, by the cult of Dionysus. In the ritual,
drunk men dressed up in goat–skin would sing and have dialogue in chorus to welcome the leader,
the person acting as Dionysus (Sayre 151). In these revel–filled festivals, men dressed as satyrs,
companions of Dionysus who are half–man and half–goat, while the women dressed up as maenads,
the immortal followers of Dionysus. As the participants become drunk and filled with ecstasy, they
"transform" into a different identity from before. Later on this behavior became the satyr play, a
form of Greek drama. Tragedy is said to be originated from the Dionysian rites, where the name
comes from tragoidos, which means the "goat song" from the satyrs – companions of Dionysus who
are half–man and half–goat. This could be in reference to the fact that Dionysus was also the

The Tragedy Of The Greek Tragedy
Great Tragedy Results in Deeper thinking Throughout the history of ancient literature, tragedy was
one of the most famous and significant literary forms. Especially, Greek tragedy literature was a
popular and influential form of drama performed in theatres across ancient Greece from the late 6th
century BCE, and formed the foundation upon which all modern theatre is based (Cartwright). I will
look for not only the reasons why Greek writers composed such tragedy, but also focus on what
made the audience enjoy the tragedy. Because, essentially the readers and the audience were the
people make literatures famous and the way how audience interpreted them is also important.
Indeed, tragedy not only influenced the ancient audience, but also have a great effect upon many
current readers.
Before we begin discuss about the ancient tragedy, let me first illustrate the meaning of tragedy.
Tragedy is a form of drama based on human suffering that invokes an accompanying catharsis or
pleasure in audiences (Banham). Moreover, some scholars suggest tragedy is the mirror image or
negative of comedy. For instead of depicting the rise in circumstances of a dejected or outcast
underdog, tragedy shows us the downfall of a once prominent and powerful hero. Like comedy,
tragedy also supposedly originated as part of a religious ritual (Simpson). And in ancient Greek,
both comedy and tragedy were performed widely in the theatre. Essentially, both comedy and
tragedy were created and performed

Analyse the Dramatic Uses of the Chorus in Greek Tragedy;...
The full influence of Greek tragedy upon our modern theatre is incomprehensible, with the
mainstays of theatrical convention largely demonstrating roots within Greek tragedy. The choric
function is just one of these conventions. This essay hopes to explore various uses of the Chorus
within Greek tragedies by Aeschylus and Sophocles, and then to analyse how traits of a Greek
Chorus, and the choric function can be found within 20th Century Theatre. The Chorus in Greek
tragedy was a large group (it is suggested between 12 and 30) of people who sang or chanted songs
and poems that helped set the scene of the play, bring the audience up to date with the events
preceding the play and inform the audience of any political or social consequences ... Show more
They explain, ‘Fear's a good gateman to stand guard of the passions' (page 100).
For Sophocles the Chorus has yet again a more reduced role, as more actors are introduced into his
plays. The focus yet again turns towards dialogue between characters, and away from interaction
purely between actor and Chorus. The Sophoclean Chorus is not emotionally separate from the
action, it is involved emotively with the story being portrayed, and can show sympathy (and in
contrast, hatred) towards the events on the stage. In Sophocles' Oedipus the King the Chorus
function as witnesses to the downfall of Oedipus from proud monarch to blind, helpless man. The
Chorus' first speech to Oedipus describes the plague that has infected the city. As Oedipus insists he
wants to find the murderer of Laius, the Chorus suggest that he ask Teiresias (page 194). The Chorus
here prompts the actor to step further towards his impending fate. The Chorus also prove to be a
calming influence, trying to mediate between Teiresias, Oedipus, Creon and Jocasta at various
points within the play. They also are still optimistic when the truth is nearly out, telling Oedipus to,
‘hope, until you hear from the man who saw what happened' (page 216). The Chorus within

Definition Of Tragic Hero In Oedipus The King
Throughout history many authors, including Sophocles, wrote incredible, emotional Greek tragedy
masterpieces which focused on a tragic hero. The author, through these dramas, invited the audience
in all while playing on their emotions and taking them on a journey through a character's life,
exposing their tragic flaw and ultimately their destiny. Aristotle once said, "A tragedy is that
moment where the hero comes face to face with his true identity." Through his ability to preserve his
wisdom and virtue, Oedipus is the epitome of Aristotle's definition of a tragic hero, despite his tragic
flaws and downfall. In Oedipus the King, written by Sophocles, "there is a struggle about
knowledge, the wanting and not wanting to know the truth" (Zachrisson, 2013). When the truth is
discovered by Oedipus it rips out his heart to come to terms with the unknowing evil he has done.
A tragic hero, as defined by the Aristotelian definition, must be of noble stature who, by an error in
his own lapse in judgement, has a tragic flaw and experiences a downfall in life that was not
expected. Ling advocates, as history is looked back upon, Aristotle is the first writer to explore the
quality of tragedy. It is Aristotle who laid out the foundation for the tragic hero theory for Western
culture. Tragedy is thoroughly discussed in his Poetics, which had a dramatic effect on the creation
of tragedy and its theory in the West (2015). A tragic hero is just that, a hero who sets out to do good
for

Ancient Greece: Democracy, Theatre, And The Olympics
Three main contributions of ancient Greece are Democracy, Theatre, and the Olympics. These three
items are still seen in many different forms in the modern world. We have a plethora of evidence
that show historians how the ancient Greeks ran their civilization. After hundreds of years of
research, historians have concluded that democracy, theatre, and the Olympics all originated in
ancient Greece. We can see echoes of how these contributions affect our culture today. This is
especially prevalent in our democracy.
Democracy is the most notable contribution to the modern world. This way of government was
formed after the citizens of Athens were fed up with tyrants. Although the United States has a very
different form of democracy, it ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The original Olympics only contained male athletes. In fact, women weren't even allowed to watch!
This was mainly due to the men competing in the nude. There were some exceptions though; women
could compete in equestrian races. The first woman to win an Olympic event was a spartan princess.
Unlike the modern Olympics, the ancient Olympics only had one winner. This champion won and
olive wreath. Along with that, their city–state would celebrate them like a celebrity. Another contrast
is that the ancient Olympics were highly religious festivals for Zeus. 100 oxen were sacrificed to
Zeus at the opening ceremony ("How"). Sadly, the Olympics were disbanded by christian emperor
Theodosius 1, claiming the Games were "polytheistic and Pagan."

Doctor Faustus, Antigone, Everyman, And Christopher Marlowe
When examining techniques, terminology, and themes present in Jacobean theatre it becomes
apparent that they had evolved from those of the ancient Greek and Medieval tradition. Precedences
set by Greek thespians in both stagecraft and dramatic writing are utilized and expanded upon in the
theatrical practices of their successors working in the centuries to follow. A comparison of theatrical
terminology and stagecraft techniques will investigate the similarities and differences of Greek,
Medieval, and Jacobean theatre. Following, the greek play Antigone by Sophocles will be compared
to the anonymously written medieval miracle play, Everyman, and Christopher Marlowe's Doctor
Faustus, in order to explore how Greek dramatic traditions influenced dramatic writing in these
play's respective times. The Greek amphitheatres were similar in construction to modern theatres,
but had their primitive differences. Greek theatres had two main parts: the theatron and the
orchestra. The orchestra was a flat, often circular, area in front of the stage where the chorus would
dance, and the theatron, which surrounded the orchestra about ⅔ of the way, was where the audience
watched the performance. The part of the orchestra not surrounded by the audiences was the skene.
The skene is the stage where the lead actors would perform and it consisted of a back wall where
they would sometimes paint scenery (Simon 5). The remanence of these primitive worlds is still
evident today. Modern theatres still

Greek Theater Architecture
To honor their gods the ancient Greeks created wonders that forced them to make advanced
technology structures. The theater architectural designs of the ancient Greeks have been adapted and
modified throughout the years by numerous other cultures. There are three main structural elements
that complete a Greek theater; those include the theatron, the orchestra, and the skene .One of these
was the Epidaurus theatre built to honor the God Dionayrs . It is considered to be the greatest theatre
in Western World. It is approximately 100 miles from Athens , located in the hills of Epidaurus . It
seats 14,000 people, with 55 rows of stones built into the hillside. It this largest of all the surviving
ancient theatres. Originally, the theatre had 34 rows. However, another 21 rows were added at the
top 2 centuries later. The seating part of this theatre is also known was aslo known as the gazing
place. An element present within all ancient Greek theaters, was the development and mastering of
acoustical technology in the theater amphitheaters. Acoustics, or to be exact, architectural acoustics,
is s scientific understanding of how to achieve a quality sound within a building. "The design of
Greek and Roman amphitheaters attests to the acoustical insights of builders and scientists of
ancient times." (Encyclopedia Americana Vol. 1 1991; P. 111) People sitting farthest from the stage–
about 70 meters–can hear actors without any amplification. The steps acted as "acoustic traps,"
cutting

The Importance Of Theater In Ancient Greece
Theater has prevailed throughout the years, dating back to ancient times and still having importance
in society today. Texts of ancient Greek comedy and tragedy have survived for over two thousand
years, because a small handful of people thought they were worth preserving. It is a wonder that
these plays are still around today, considering how much time has passed and the differences
between society today and that of ancient times, also taking into consideration the difference in
speech and language. Theater in the ancient world served as a source of entertainment for the
people. Most of the evidence that is used today are from vases, which can tell a lot about what
happened back in ancient Greece. Scenes are played out on vases, with most being Dionysian or
mythological narratives. Painters avoided representing tragic scenes literally as they would be
portrayed in the theater, but instead a 'further reality' of the myth. Even minute details about this
evidence was important, including the shape of the pots the work was on. Mythic–tragic scenes
could be found on large, prestigious vessels like volute kraters, while a comic scene might decorate
a bell krater or small jug (oinochoe) which served wine at a drinking party (Hughes 5). Vases are not
the only archeological evidence, as terracotta figurines are another source of knowledge for those
wanting to learn about the costumes worn in comedy in ancient Greece. Nearing the end of the fifth
century, the earliest comedy figurines were produced in Athens. These figurines were mostly static,
unlike vase paintings were the scene was full of action and engagement. These terracotta figurines
were souvenirs for the people to buy in admiration of their favorite characters. People cherished
them and even took them to their graves, where they were found by archeologists (Hughes 39).
Other than using vase paintings and archeological evidence, some of the information known today
was based on the reconstruction of the texts from the time. The writers of the tragedies and
comedies that survived were Athenians. The dramatic festivals for which they composed took place
in the theater dedicated to Dionysus, one of their gods, located in the sanctuary that contained his
temple

Ancient Grecian Theatre In Ancient Greece
In the Grecian Golden Age, Greece made many advances in the sciences, philosophy, and the arts.
One of their greatest achievements was in drama. Ancient Grecian theatre was hugely important to
the Greeks. The ideas found in their plays influenced the common way of thinking. The actual
theatre structures were spaces for architects and sculptors of the time to show off their superb talent.
Modern historians studying the ruins and ancient texts of Greece frequently come across the
fingerprint that theatre left, evidence of which can still be seen today in modern Greece. One of the
most obvious displays of theatre's impact on Greece is in the magnificent ruins of ancient structures.
Most of the ruins of ancient Grecian theatres that survive to this day are from no earlier than fourth
century BC. This is because there was a transition from the usage of wood in building theatres to
using stone at that time, which allowed the structures to be much more well preserved. Even the
ruins show that an extreme amount of artistry and mathematical skill was necessary in the
construction of these ancient structures. For instance, because of the lack of amplifying technology
in ancient Greece, the theatres were constructed with the aim of natural supplementation of sound in
the way of acoustics. It is quite a feat when the people in the back row of some twenty thousand
people can hear the actors without the need of yelling and without any means of unnatural
magnification. Some examples of

The Chorus as a Homonym
In Jean Anouilh's Antigone and in Euripides's Medea the Chorus is both a tool for characterization
and representation of theme; however, the ways they function in their respective plays are noticeably
different. The differences in the way the Choruses function in each respective play make the name
of the character "the Chorus" a homonym, same name different meaning. The Chorus in Antigone
functions to incorporate the technique of metatheatre. The purpose of metatheatre is to provide a
separation between the audience and the actors in the play through "constant direct and indirect
reminders that what [the audience] is watching is a play" (Freeman xxxvii). The first instance of a
reminder is when the Prologue steps forward from the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The guards "go on with their game of cards", Creon leaves the site to attend the "Privy Council, and
the people of Thebes "begin to forget [Antigone and Haemon] and get their names mixed up"
(Anouilh 60–61). All of the metatheatrical techniques in the play to distance the audience from the
tragedy keep Anouilh safe in this part from criticism from the Greek's because otherwise they could
take the heartlessness of people described offensively. The Chorus in Euripides's Medea mainly
functions as the commentator of drama, as a Chorus in a classical Greek drama would, or the voice
of reason that often times sympathizes with Medea. The Chorus, made up of Corinthian women,
comments on the drama in light of the morals of the Greek society of the time, such as moderation,
which helps the Greek audience in understanding the play and Medea herself. Also, being the voice
of reason, the Chorus not only aids the audience in understanding the play but also tries to aid
Medea in understanding herself and her irrationality. The main point that the Chorus tries to explain
to Medea is that she should not be hurt by Jason's actions because "it often happens" and if she does
not forget about it she will "waste away grieving too much for him" (Euripides 6). Because they are
unsuccessful in proving to her she is irrational, the Chorus's function shifts from being the voice

Essay on Death of a Salesman: Tragic but Not a Tragedy
Death of a Salesman: Tragic but Not a Tragedy
Though a more modern version of tragedy in its' classical sense, Death of a Salesman in many ways
is very much like an ancient Greek play. In his 'Poetics' Aristotle tries to set out the common ideas
throughout tragedy, attempting to demystify the necessary elements for such plays. One of his main
ideas was that of the 'Three Unities' – that of Space, that of Time and that of Action. He stated that
all the action of a tragedy must occur in the place, which was often the front of a palace, which
allowed the poet to have many characters coming and going, and allowed random meetings to occur
easily, rather than having to 'explain' the reason why any meeting should occur. It was, ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
While these other scenes might seem like they are set elsewhere they are much like the speeches
from messengers – which take the audience to another place, while still watching the action played
out in the same place as the rest of the play – just that these scenes are played out rather than just
discussed by the characters in a way that classical play would not have been able to, without the use
of lighting and sound effects to create a change of scene.
Again with Time, the action does all, in fact, take place in real time, with the flashbacks occurring in
tandem with the immediate events leading up to Willy's death, with the exception of the interval
between the two acts, during which the nights passes. On the most part, the flashbacks do not cause
any loss of tension or immediacy within the play so it can be seen as being a closely focused view of
Willy Loman's last hours, including a view of what he is thinking and how past events have shaped
the present for him.
The play looks only at Willy's plight and does not have distracting subplots alongside the main
story–line – as Aristotle had set out – causing, again, the play to be held taut and allowing for a full
view of Willy and who he is.
Why then might this play not evoke tragic emotion for Willy? It does follow the general practise of
classical tragedy. Willy, like most tragic heroes seems to be essentially a good

Comparing Comedy And Comedy
Martin Esslin's definition of drama says that it incorporates a well–structured, economical and
unpredictable plot with no boundaries that entertains the audience and allows room for their own
interpretation. This is a basic definition. A vast variety of genres fall under the term drama. Two
forms that are most frequently talked about and compared are comedy and tragedy. Comedy and
tragedy shed light on differences in theatrical storytelling through their contrasting styles and
methods of presenting pieces of theatre. If genres of theatre were put on a spectrum, comedy would
fall on one end while tragedy would on the opposite. Comedy and tragedy are widely different. They
follow various contrasting dramatic constructs invoking the thoughts and emotions pertaining to
their genre.
A comedy is a piece of theatre that evokes a feel–good response from the audience and allows them
to gently discover an underlying truth about human nature. It breaks expectations and increases a
level of awareness invoking the involuntary biological response of laughter. Laughter places the
audience in a vulnerable state. Laughter is gasping for air with no way of stopping until the comedic
effect is no longer amusing. For this vulnerable state to take into effect, the audience must be willing
to go along with the joke that the story is attempting to convey. Once the trust has been built, and if
this it is a satisfactory production, the successful sound of laughter will commence.
Laughter in a

Difference between Greek and Modern Theatres
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 architectural features.
In ancient Greece festivals were mainly held at the Great Dionysia. This was the oldest theatre in
Greece and many plays were performed here for example the first performance of Antigone. The
patron of the theatre was the God ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Today special effects in modern theatres are taken for granted by the audiences. Flashing lights,
smoke, electronic sound and even microphones for actors were all not available to the ancient
Greeks. In ancient times there special effects included; cranes for lifting actors into the air and
ekkyklema (a trolley used to roll on stage via the central doors to carry away dead bodies. Many of
these effects are not used to today as modern audiences want the play to be as realistic as possible
and many of these effects would not achieve this. But today they still use wires in order to make
actors appear to be flying; this is similar to the machine but more advanced to do modern
technologies.
At the back of the ancient Greek theatre stood the 'skene'. The word 'skene' means stage building.
The 'skene' was a wooden building where the actors could change and this building could also be
used for as a house or temple or any other part of scenery (Gill). At the front of the
'skene' there was a large double door for the actors to make their entrance. Actors could also enter
through the 'parados' if they were acting as characters from foreign lands or who had just arrived
(University Press Inc). There were three areas where the actors could act; the platform in front of the
stage building, the orchestra and the roof of the stage building. The roof of the stage building was
often

Antigone Tragedy Analysis
Antigone, a play that Sophocles wrote exhibits a tragedy. Several factors determine whether or not
Antigone could be put under the category of a tragedy. Greek tragedies consist of three elements: the
play includes a catastrophic and inevitable resolution; the protagonist, Antigone, causes all the
problems; and finally, the tragic hero must have a tragic flaw or hamartia that leads to the
catastrophe. To exemplify a Greek tragedy or drama, Antigone must correspond with the three
principal characteristics that define a Greek drama.
Antigone, comes to an end with a catastrophic and inevitable death of a young girl. Antigone
concluded that her decision to bury her brother, Polyneices, would ultimately result in her demise. If
not by her Uncle Creon's hand, then her own: "She had made a noose of her fine linen veil and
hanged herself" (Sophocles 5.959–960). Her demise, resulted from her irascible uncle who made a
law preventing the burial of Polyneices, whom he saw as an ignominy. Ultimately fate will always
win against free will, and similar to what Antigone said, "... now you can prove what you are: A true
sister, or a traitor to your family" (Sophocles Prologue.26–27). Her choice remained set–in–stone,
and determined to bury Polyneices, she still not only accepts death but also faces it with honor.
In Antigone, Antigone's behavior turns out to be the sole cause of all the problems within the play.
Usually, the protagonist's choices lead to the crux of the tragedy. In Antigone, the main character,
Antigone, portrays the role of the protagonist. Antigone's determination to commit heresy initiated
all the chaos within the play. Often, the crux of the tragedy affects the protagonist and innocent
bystanders. The first being Antigone's lover, Haimon, who was the son of Creon and Eurydice,
Creon's wife. Due to Antigone taking her own life, Haimon ends up taking his life as well. This
action, allegedly, being done out of sadness for his lover, "Haimon lay beside hers, his arms about
her waist, lamenting her, his love lost under ground, crying out that his father has stolen her away
from him" (Sophocles 5.960–963). The second being Haimon's mother, Eurydice, who likewise
killed herself, but this time, out of sadness for

Ancient Greek : The Foundation Of Theatre In Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece created the foundation of theatre that has grown to what is known today. In the sixth
century when theatre became popular, there was the discovery of the tragedy, comedy, and a satire
play called a satyr play. The plays were put on in festivals to celebrate the god Dionysus, the god of
wine. Elements such as costumes and masks that were used in worship rituals to the gods influenced
their costuming for the shows. There were three innovative playwrights Aeschylus, Aristophanes,
and Sophocles who all had their own writing styles and contributed to the advancement of theatre in
their own way.
The Great Dionysia was a festival started by the tyrant Peisistratus that took place in Athens and
started in the sixth century BCE; it was said to be the birthplace of tragedies. It took place during
march and it was a seven–day long festival honoring Dionysus. The first day of the festival started
with a parade where a large statue of Dionysus was carried from the Temple of Dionysus to the foot
of the Acropolis where the theatre was located, this symbolized the journey that Dionysus took to
Athens. The stage was then sprinkled with the blood of sacrificial pigs because it was meant to
purify the stage (Taylor). The second day another parade was held and people who had lost their
fathers during the war, they would march down the street to honor their fathers who "gave their life
to the polis" and they were given seats at the front row of the theatre. Over the next three day

Vengeance and Dramatic Conflict in Electra and Orestes
Introduction:– Since Sophocles and Euripides's tragedies Electra and Orestes got so much success,
name and received great critical acclaim they have been extensively approached and discussed in
terms of characterization, themes, symbols, plot, incestuous love, demolition, betrayal and
especially lamentation. For instance, Vengeance is the soul of the both plays and it is largely
discussed as major themes of the play. But its connection with the tragedy of characters is far away
better to be discussed. It arises towards dramatic conflict and it brings out the real sight of the
characters and becomes the reason behind of tragedy in these two masterpieces of Ancient Greek
drama. So vengeance is the core of these plays because of its major ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Sophocles "Electra" and Euripides "Orestes" are Greek tragedies and both have a great name in the
Greek theater and history of English Literature. Greek theater is incomplete without these two
masterpieces. Electra and Orestes are brother and sister and very famous characters of Greek
Mythology.
Since the researcher started work on this tragedy they tried to conduct a research on the purpose
behind this tragedy. There is abundance of topics in the book to discuss that is why it became the
focal point of researchers at that time and even today the research is going on because still there are
many things about the play which demand extensive research. The book is full of various thematic
implications as in betrayal, fate; murder, manipulation, incestuous love and many of them are
discussed but still students of English literature feel there is lack of research on it.
General research is enough on Electra (410) and Orestes (408) but the books really demand wide
research for proper understanding of the motive behind writing this play. There is enough work is
available on some themes like theme of fate, theme of betrayal, theme of revenge, theme of jealousy
but themes are great in number so they need more and more research. The plot, structure and setting
of the plays are discussed by many researchers they are done with many important things about
setting and structure of the play.
Famous Quotations are explored as yet but there are lots more

The Evolution Of Greek Theater
The Evolution of Greek Theater Greek theater can be considered to be one of the building blocks for
our theater today. The advancements that the Greeks possessed in the early fifth century were the
start of western theater. The Greeks were heavily involved with religion and religious festivals,
comedies, tragedies, climatic drama, and took the outdoor amphitheater and made many
improvements to its structure. In Ancient Greece religion and theater went hand in hand. The Greeks
developed religion that was based on worship of many Gods. In honor of the Gods there were
festivals with dancing, music, and theatrical performances. During the festivals the whole city would
come to a complete stand still. All businesses were closed, politics were put on the back burner, and
wars were halted. All social classes were welcome to come to the festival, and they all did. One of
the most famous religious festivals is the City Dionysia, a festival in honor of the god Dionysus, god
of wine, revelry, and fertility. The festival was held in ancient Athens, in March for five days,
featuring dramatic competitions. These dramatic competitions consisted of dithyrambs, tragedies,
comedies, and satyr plays. The tragedy competition was four plays per playwright, three tragedies
and one satyr play. There were two processions; the first was carrying the statue of Dionysus from
the temple to the theater of Dionysus at the foot of the Acropolis. The second were the patrons
parading through the

Music Analysis: Tormenta
The story of Tormenta is when you are at the beach and there's a storm. The intro of Tormenta starts
off calm like when you are having a good time at the beach and just relaxing. Part A is the "calm
before the storm" so you're relaxing but then you see dark gloomy clouds coming towards the beach.
Part B is when the storm arrives and you start panicking because everything is flying everywhere
and there's sand going in your eyes. After Part B, Part A repeats itself and its like the after effects of
the storm and you're glad that it's over. The ending is when you're packing up your things and
leaving the beach because you're done with the beach for the day. To create the story of Tormenta,
the pitch groupings and chord progressions that I used ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The melody is played by the right hand on the piano and/or the violin depending on what part of the
song its at. Usually, the pitch for the violin is in a lower octave than the piano because in the higher
range, it has too much of a presence. The melody generally uses the same notes but sometimes the
note length is longer or shorter to indicate which part the storms at. The instruments played are the
piano, violin and double bass. The piano is normally in a mid–high range because at some parts it
should be heard the most. The violin plays in the lower range but when it has the main melody, it
gets played in the higher range to be heard more easily. The double bass has a low register and is
just used to help create the harmony for the piece. The time signature is a 4/4 time with a nice tempo
of 90 but at Part B the tempo switches to 100. It switches to 100 to show the idea of the storm's
impact on the beach and that things are getting intense. The rhythm of the melody flows to set up the
next part of the melody and the double bass provides the bass for the piano/violin. The overall feel
of the piece is slow, even at Part B. In Part B, there's some syncopation between the piano and violin
to make the melody more

Shakespeare's Influence On Modern Theatre
Drama is one of the most intriguing forms of literature. Unlike typical literature, drama is put into
the form of a script in which actors must take the roles of the characters and act out their given
dialogue in front of an audience. Drama is particularly composed of dialogue, the lines spoken by
the characters, stage directions, the actions in which the actor must take, and scenes, the events of
each play which are acted out. Plays do not typically contain narrators that tell the story. Instead the
actors depict the characters within a story and present it to an audience. Dramatic theater,
presumably started within ancient Greece, where the citizens performed presentations as a devotion
to religious gods or to "mark the coming of spring." ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
For instance, plays were able to be depicted at night due to the implementation of candles, which
allow for more lighting. Although, his was still an issue since actors now needed to be over the
candle in order to properly illuminate themselves, which was highly dangerous. Additionally, other
factors, which influenced modern day theatre, would be implemented such as, an easier system in
order to set up the scenery or setting of the play, and women were finally introduced into acting.
Within the twentieth century, plays began to take a major revolution. Infact, technology
advancements enabled a variety of opportunities for plays, such as electric lights, which were safer
and provided a vast amount of lighting for the actors, and microphones, which allowed the actors to
speak loud enough that the entire audience could hear them. Additionally, the setting of plays
became more realistic allowing for the fourth wall to be eliminated, essentially getting rid of the
original chorus. Theatres also became enclosed, allowing for the elimination of weather and audible
issues. As plays became more realistic, playwrights introduced "surrealistic stage settings", where
the setting reflected the current conflict or dream, and they introduced the "expressionist stage
setting", where the costumes or scenery were distorted in order to reflect the current struggle or
"unbalanced mind." Separate stages were also introduced in order to blur the line of reality and the
play, for the audience members. However, although the most common theatre stage is the picture–
frame stage, theatre is not, in under any circumstances, limited to only one

The Challenges Of Seamus Heaney
This essay will analyse the challenges Seamus Heaney faced during the process of translation and
writing, including his own conscious effort to make the play suitable for a modern audience. It will
demonstrate how Heaney's use of language and poetry aided in presenting modern ideas through the
timbre of Irish/English diction and idiom in an attempt to make the play more 'speakable'.
Identifying 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 more than simply an act of transmission of one language into another, it involves the
conveyance of a context and finding a balance of reference which will both keep faith with the
original and allow for current thinking. There are many variables in the approaches to translating an
ancient Greek play, these can include, attempting to be accurate to the original Greek letter and
meaning, communicating the spirit and feel of the original, or a pragmatic translation where the
emphasis is on the target language and culture (Hardwick, 2008, p. 207). A translator would have to
make decisions about the

Tragic Heroines In Greek Drama
In ancient Greece, societal conventions and norms permeated all aspects of life. The arts were
especially influenced by the ideals and beliefs of society. Gender was especially regulated in
everyday life, something we see reflected in many art forms. The ancient Greeks were extremely
influential in both the visual and dramatic arts. Throughout the development of these styles, we see
how society's established gender norms permeated the works of artists and playwrights alike. This is
especially true in the depictions of dramatic heroines. Women from famous legends and myth were
popular topics of study in the arts, but this does not mean they were spared from gendered
expectations and roles. This paper will study representations of Greek tragic heroines in Athenian
drama and on vase paintings. Through case studies of Alcestis, Medea, Electra, and Clytemnestra, I
will see how perceptions of these women consistent or varying across the different art forms, how
they upheld expectations of decorum, and how they are shown as upholding or challenging gender
roles. By examining the intersection of theatre and vase painting, we can have a better
understanding of how Greek society viewer these tragic heroines and the themes connected to their
narratives. It is important to acknowledge the time frame we are looking at for both the texts and
vases. Greek drama greatly developed and rose in popularity during the 6th and 5th centuries BCE,
during which all of the texts we will be

Modern Culture And Culture Of The Ancient Greek Theater
Ancient Greek Theater Greece is the protégé of theatre and in turn stands as the basis of Western
theatrical tradition; as a large part of the broader culture of theatricality and performance. In
classical Greece included festivals, religious rituals, politics, law, athletics and gymnastics, music,
poetry, weddings, funerals, and symposiums. In the original culture of the Greek theatre they
stressed the importance of the twelve Olympian gods, advanced technology, theatrical stage, first
actor, and rise of different genres. Due to these ideals and stresses, Greek style theatre is still
prevalent today; we are very privileged to see the growth theater had since it first started out and to
see that the old ways still persist today. Back in the Classical period, 500 to 200 B.C., theatre served
solely and mostly dealt with honoring their Dodekatheon (twelve gods) rather than entertaining the
crowd and provoking thought for future analysis. Arguably the theatre was the most important part
of the Athenian religious and social culture where everyone who worked extremely hard throughout
the year would look forward to the month that was dedicated to one of their most venerated gods,
Dionysus. Imagine living in 400 B.C. or around there, and celebrating life for an entire month
during the summer without having any obligations towards yourself, or anyone around you.
Literally this is the pursuit of happiness in people my age, working extremely hard, during the cold
and tough

Theater in Ancient Greece
Theatre in Ancient Greece Among the many inventions of the ancient Greeks, there have been a few
that have specifically impacted modern day life for the better. Many of the things that are taken for
granted today can be accredited to the intellectual minds of the people of ancient Greece. Our
complicated plumbing and sewage systems that manage sanitation in most of the cities in the world
have their roots in ancient society. The earliest concept of the crane was also developed during this
time. Every successful society thrived on expansion, and one could not expand without the building
of new structures; the invention of the crane and its evolution sped up this process of
industrialization for societies to come. Despite these great ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
Jocasta's (Oedipus' mother) attempts to expel her cursed son and Oedipus' avoiding of who he
thought were his biological parents only fed into Apollo's scheme. It was an important factor that the
audience was previously aware of this story and its outcome. As the jovial Oedipus preaches about
discovering the cause of the plague and finding truth, the audience is aware that he is speaking out
of ignorance and that his optimistic attitude would be short lived. This is comparable to certain
entertainment pieces of the modern day. The Titanic also depicted a story that its audience knew the
result of. Most people were aware of the fate of the Titanic before they had viewed the film and it
undoubtedly added to the experience much like it would have in ancient Greece. Watching the joyful
scenes of the patrons on the boat provokes mixed feelings of delight and dreadfulness as the actors
remain in an ignorant bliss while the audience is aware that the boat will never make it to its
destination. Oedipus the King concludes in a similarly destructive manner. Oedipus realizes in the
climax of the play that he has in fact failed to escape the prophecy of Apollo and that he has become
the incestuous murderer that he had so carefully tried to avoid being. Oedipus is overcome with
shame and disgust and gouges his eyes out and banishes himself from Thebes after seeing that his

Oscar Wilde Fairy Tales
THE TRAGIC MODE IN OSCAR WILDE'S FAIRY TALES
DÉBORAH SCHEIDT, Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa
ABSTRACT: In this paper we examine the articulation of the tragic mode in Oscar Wilde‟s
collection of fairy tales The Happy Prince and Other Stories, especially in "The Young King", "The
Selfish Giant" and "The Birthday of the Infanta." By "tragic mode" we mean, in this context, the
vestiges left by Greek tragedy and its development, the Elizabethan tragedy, in a piece of nineteenth
century fiction. Several thematic and structural elements, as suggested by Richard Palmer – tragic
heroes, tragic villains and martyrs, issues of fate, guilt, will, self–recognition, death and suffering, as
well as the recurrence of paradox, tragic ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The first dream is about the work of the "pale, sickly–looking children" (p. 83) in charge of weaving
the cloth for the new king‟s robe. The second one reveals the death of the black slaves who fish for
pearls for the royal sceptre. The last dream is in morality–play style as it depicts Death and
Avarice‟s battle over the lives of the men digging and cleaving rocks for rubies for the king‟s
crown. At his coronation ceremony, the prince, formerly a vain teenager who had worried only about
his "delicate raiment and rich jewels" (p. 79), shocks everyone when he is seen wearing "the
leathern tunic and rough sheepskin cloak that he had worn when he had watched [...] the goatherd
[...] and in his hands he took his rude shepherd‟s staff." (p. 92) But could we call the prince‟s
experience as tragic, or merely sad? Richard Palmer (1992, p. 2) calls our attention to the present–
day complexities involving the term "tragedy". In 2400 years of usage, its meaning (that even in
Aristotle‟s time was
never established conclusively) has become highly disputed, along with the possibility of its
contemporary existence. Diametrically opposed approaches live side–by–side, from the utter
banalisation of the term (e.g. by the media) to critics who claim that only a few selected plays can be
rightfully called tragedies. Palmer

Characteristics Of Greek Drama

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