Saturday, May 16, 2020

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. 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