The first forms of theatrical arts originated in ancient Athens during the sixth century BC. From then, theatre quickly rose in popularity and was considered a widespread Athenian delight by the end of the fifth century BC. It’s quick rise in popularity was not just because it provided the audience with entertainment, but because of its religious, political, social, and cultural significance to the Athenians. The theatre was many things in Athens; it was a religious festival to the gods, a competition of literature, a social gathering, a form of celebration, and a platform to discuss and debate current events. The Athenian lifestyle and the development of ancient Athens was significantly influenced by theatre during fifth and fourth century …show more content…
Theatre was the main platform of expression for ethical and political matters, which is why theatre played a controversial part in shaping Athens and Greece. Furthermore in politics, theatre is believed to have played a major role in developing democracy in Athens. “The Theater was firmly established as a place for serious (tragic and comic) dialogue, where thoughts could be thought and things could be said that might otherwise never enter public discourse.” This is a very democratic way of thinking as free thinking and open speech are integral concepts in democracy and Athenian theatre. Additionally, as democracy was not formed in Athens until 508 BC, and theatre had became popular sometime before 534 BC, historians believe that when Pisistratus’ revolutionary idea of creating City Dionysia received widespread praise, he was inspired to integrate free thinking into the government of Athens. Additionally, Greek plays, such as Sophocles’ Antigone, uses characters and themes to support democracy. Sophocles uses the character Creon as an exemplar of democratic …show more content…
Theatre, especially the festival of Dionysia, had a strong sense of community and a deep social significance in Athens. Therefore, during the time of the festival, Athens would make special accommodations so all the people of Athens may enjoy the celebration:
“On these occasions the city kept universal holiday. Business and politics were forgotten; the law-courts were closed; even prisoners were released from gaol, to enable them to partake in the general
The theater of Dionysus stands at the foot of the acropolis and its date originates back to the 6th Century, B.C.. Its originally wood seats rise in tiers above one another against the slope of the acropolis, creating a natural setting for the plays (D'ooge, 231). The Greek Theater was built to house a drama which, during the festivals of Dionysus, had evolved from the long tradition of choral hymns which were presented each year. As Greek culture changed and flourished, entertainment transformed from being a series of choral chanting and dancing to placing an emphasis on the actor. As the actors' importance grew, there became a need for a stage from which they could be seen by each of the fourteen thousand spectators the theater housed. The chorus was still a very active part of the entertainment and they resided in the orchestra (Norwich, 64). The orchestra was the oldest part of the Greek theater and thus, when the actor was given
Some evaluations claim that the Dionysus appearing in The Bacchae is fairly true embodiment of the ideals of ancient Athens. He demands only worship and proper reverence for his name, two matters of honor that pervaded both the Greek tragedies and the pious society that viewed them. In other plays, Oedipus' consultations with Apollo and the many Choral appeals to Zeus reveal the Athenian respect for their gods, while Electra's need for revenge and Antigone's obligation to bury Polyneices both epitomize the themes of respect and dignity. Yet although Dionysus personifies these two motifs, his clashes with the rest of Athenian tradition seem to make him its true adversary. Dionysius distinctly opposes the usual views on gender, age, rationality and divinity, leaving the reader to wonder whether these contrasts were Euripidean attempts to illuminate specific facets of the culture itself.
First I will discuss the various aspects of ancient Greek theatre then compare to today’s modern version of theatre. Today it is widely believed that theatre first began in ancient Greece, the evidence. people used to come to this conclusion from ancient Greek plays. Greek art and architecture. Orchestra [ IMAGE] The diagram on the right shows the layout of a typical Greek theatre.
As an Ancient Greek, one could expect to spend a fair amount of time in theatres for social and religious reasons. Thus, the design and construction of auditoriums was vital to the comfort and experience of viewers.
This festival took place in Athens, and songs, plays were performed to welcome Dionysus. Athens became the center for the Ancient Greek theatre and Dionysus quickly became known as the god of theatre. These plays were usually only performed by one person who played multiple rolls and changed his mask to become someone different. Later background actors and the chorus could be found on stage.
Drama, consequently, became a mirror for the developing social and civic institutions and tensions of Athens. Athenian society’s structure was firmly based within a framework of “kinship groups” (Fainlight, pg), which was primarily dominated by aristocratic leaders; the famed, idealistic democracy of Athens, as a consequence, was restricted only to a select few. Furthermore, the city’s Dionysia festival gave special license to tragedy to display images of society collapsing within this context. (Goldhill, 1990). The conflicts explored in many of these tragedies often mirrored those that the private Greek individual and Athens were facing, allowing Athenian dramatists to examine universal themes that confronted not only Athens but also societies throughout
Societies progress can lead to intercultural similarities, and vastily obvious differences. These influences can be seen within the contemporary theatre of the times, explaining and progressing the status of community through storytelling and performance. The reactions to these changes are important, and help shape the society we have today. These elements are best seen between the medieval ans renaissance period.
At about 700 B.C., the fine art of theatrical performance arose to its fullest potential in Ancient Greece. With the intentions of fostering religious and spiritual beliefs, festivals that would honor their most praised gods, such as Dionysus, became a cultural tradition. Athens, which was considered the core of theatrical portrayal did not only lure neighboring allies but also developed and promoted a common identity that everyone could relate to and abide upon. As the general nature of producing and presenting plays experienced a stage of evolutions, so did the different genres of playwrights. Prestigious scriptwriters, including Sophocles, Euripides, and Aeschylus, essentially, did more than simply entertain; their works eventually created
“Theatre makes us think about power and the way our society works and it does this with a clear purpose, to make a change.”
Greek and Elizabethan theatre, while similar in some respects, had a few large differences. The Greeks believed in a certain unity of theme, which was prevalent throughout the production. Greek plays were often drawn from myth or of historical significance, so it seems that only ki...
Theatre serves to reflect society. From Shakespeare to Sophocles, a playwright’s work illustrates the different mechanics within a culture, time period, or society. Theatre offers viewers the experience of taking a step back and looking in on themselves. In this way, theatre is a mirror of the world and the way it functions. In the time period from 1968 to 1983, the world was transitioning.
Theatre as we know it now was born more than two thousand years ago and has gone through many streams until it reached the current modernity. Among these streams is the avant-garde theatre. This theatre achieved a break in the traditional theatre and became the forefront of a new experimental theatre. Therefore it is necessary to ask how this theatre started, what impact it had on society and if this type of theatre is still common in our modern era.
Theatre first came about from all different cultures acting out part of their bible, or performing rituals to the Gods. It was not until the middle ages when dramatists wrote about all aspects of life. Theatre has therefore changed continuously to suit the demands of each new age for fantasy, spectacle, or serious drama.
Over the 200 years from Thespis’ first accomplishments to the death of Sophocles, Greek Theater thrived. However, all good things eventually come to an end. The golden age was ending as Athenian culture was overrun in 404 BC by the Spartans. Theater of course evolved over time and is now a school subject, hobby and profession. Today it wouldn’t hurt to look back over some historically recorded plays and appreciate what the ancient Greeks created for us… drama.
The survival of theatre lies in the very nature of humankind: its inner voyeuristic drive. The desire to watch other people dealing with their conflicts and fates challenges as well as reinforces values and the morality of society. The theatre provides an exciting opportunity to watch stories and situations as if they were real life, showing us the truth of our nature.