Ancient Greek Theater - 1235 Words

Have you ever just wanted to kill your parents? Perhaps they are not letting you order a seventh slice of cheese pizza at Chuck E. Cheese’s, or not letting you hang out with that dreamy hunk Bryan on Saturday. For Oedipus, killing his parents was not something petty he threatened when he got too worked up, but rather his fate. This suspenseful and masterful plot, conceived by the legendary playwright Sophocles, was one of the many groundbreaking works to come out of fifth century BC Greece. Works of ancient Greek theater, particularly Oedipus the King, embodied the spirit of innovation that fifth century BC Athens was known for. The fifth century BC in Athens, aptly known as the â€Å"Golden Age,† was a time of great achievements in art and†¦show more content†¦For a long time, only one actor was used, and often times the play’s author himself would perform. However, probably due to demand on a single actor’s physique and voice, two actors were introduced. Sophocles finally introduced a third actor, but three was the most Greek plays ever employed (Ley 25). Reminiscent of the dithyrambs from which they originated, Greek plays included a chorus of anywhere from twelve to twenty-four members who would provide poetic interludes and narrations (Ley 22). Theatric spectacle in Greece was not an everyday commodity. In fact, plays were only performed once a year, at the Dionysia (Knox xx). For each of three days, sunrise to sunset, playgoers would sit through three tragedies, a more lighthearted and whimsical â€Å"satyr† play, and a comedy. The tragedies and the satyr play of the day would all be by the same poet, while the comedy was by a different playwright (Knox xx). At the conclusion of the festival, awards would be given to the tragedians by a panel of judges. Historians have no record on whether or not one of Simon Cowell’s early ancestors was on the panel. Said to have often been awarded first prize, sometimes second, but never third in the Dionysia, Sophocles is one of the most renowned and influential playwrights of not only his time, but of all time (Ley 35). Born in 496 BC, just at the dawn of the fifth century BC, Sophocles prospered as aShow MoreRelatedAncient Greek Vs. Medieval Theater1154 Words   |  5 Pagesexemplifying the values and beliefs of its culture and time. Ancient Greek theater reflects ancient Greek values and beliefs, such as the importance of the gods. Medieval theater portrays Medieval beliefs and values, like the values of community and religion. This can be said for post-modern works as well. Post-modern theater, although it seems fractured, reflects the culture, sub-culture, and time of its creation. Although post-modern theater does not share all unanimous ideals, like previous theatricalRead MoreThe Impact Of Ancient Greek Theater And Tragedy1703 Words   |  7 PagesMichimasa 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 contributionsRead More Ancient Greek Theater Architecture Essay2131 Words   |  9 PagesAncient Greek Theater Architecture Many aspects of ancient Greek theaters have long been studied and debated. Much of the information about these theaters is based on speculation due to the fact that so little of them still exist today. This lack of remnants especially applies to the architecture of the early Greek Theaters. However, through archeological finds and years of studying the people, the plays, and the architecture of the time, we are able to make many conclusions about these earlyRead MoreEssay on Ancient Greek Theater: the Forerunner to Modern Theatre1211 Words   |  5 Pagesto enjoy a play in a theater. Theatre and plays go back as far as â€Å"B.C.† times. Theater has been a means of art and entertainment for thousands of years dating back to the fifth century B.C. The beginning marked with the ancient Greek theaters. Over the vast years of cultural and technological evolution many things have changed. Just the same, many things have remained unscathed. In comparing and contrasting different aspects such as theater writing, technology, and theater costumes, we will becomeRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie Kabuki 3062 Words   |  13 Pages1. Kabuki - Kabuki is a style of Japanese theater that evolved from Noh theater. Noh was slow, contemplative, and philosophical, and eventually became so refined that it was considered inaccessible and reserved for the educated upper classes. Kabuki was developed by the rising middle class as popular entertainment, and included stylized fighting, aerial stunts, exaggerated makeup and costuming, and physical and verbal comedy. 2. Nixon in China - Nixon in China is an American opera portraying PresidentRead MoreAnalysis Of Neil Fraser s The Golden Age 1893 Words   |  8 PagesTheatre History Explained Neil Fraser outlines the history of theatre from Greek and Roman times, all the way through the twentieth century. Fraser makes a claim that theatre truly began in Greek culture with even the Roma’s looking upon that time as â€Å"the golden age†. â€Å"The Romans looked back on Greek theatre of circa 600BC as a golden age, and we can still make a case for the great plays of that period as having never been bettered.† (Fraser, 2004, pg.5). Some of the more important highlights ofRead MoreTheatre As A Tool For Preserving Heritage And Shaping History2094 Words   |  9 Pagesprovide a space for people to think about solutions to issues without consequences. One way theatre does this is through mimesis. In the University of Chicago’s Glossary of Media Theory, Michelle Puetz explains mimesis as a concept coined by the Ancient Greeks stating that all art imitates life, and that art is created primarily to bring about a social change (Puetz 2002). In â€Å"T he Meaning in Mimesis: Philosophy, Aesthetics, Acting Theory†, by Daniel Larlham, mimesis is described as â€Å"a remarkably adaptableRead MoreImpact 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 MoreAnalysis on the Play Xanadu Essay513 Words   |  3 Pagesput on by the Arizona Theater Company, was an extraordinary play, with a few different cultures mixing to make a creative, fun production. This play was a mix of 80s music, apparel and art, along with a magical side with ancient Greece. Ancient Greece brought Greek mythology, which is what brought magical characters into the play. This play uses different cultures to escalate the plot, all while creating an awesome play. Art, whether it be film, television, visual art, theater and many other formsRead MoreThe Evolution Of Greek Theater1576 Words   |  7 PagesThe 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