How did the ancient Greeks have fun, or 10 little-known facts about the ancient theater

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

An ancient Greek theater that flourished from about 550 to 220 BC. e., laid the foundations of theater in the Western world. Accordingly, its development can be traced back to the festival of Dionysius in Athens, which was the cultural center of Ancient Greece, where the first theatrical genres of tragedy, comedy and satire appeared. Chief among these three genres was Greek tragedy, which had a huge impact on the theater of ancient Rome and the Renaissance, including influential Greek playwrights, among whom Aeschylus and Aristophanes are generally considered the fathers of Greek tragedy and comedy, respectively.

And no matter how funny it sounds, the popularity and influence of Greek theater can be judged by the fact that many ancient Greek plays are still staged in modern theaters around the world, delighting the public. And the facts about this great and beautiful place amaze the imagination at all, making an indelible impression. After all, if you think so, the Greeks were very inventive in architectural structures.

1. Dionysius

The origins of theater in ancient Greece can be traced back to the Great Festival in Athens, known as Dionysius. This festival was held in honor of Dionysus, the Greek god of the grape harvest, wine and fertility. It was the second most important festival in ancient Greece after Panathinaikos, where the games were held. Dionysius consisted of two related festivals, rural Dionysius and urban Dionysius. Rural Dionysia was held in winter, and its central event was the Pompeian procession. Urban Dionysia was held in March and April, most likely to celebrate the end of winter and this year's harvest, where dramatic performances became the centerpiece of the event. The genres of tragedy, comedy and satire are said to have developed at this festival. Thus, modern western theater can be traced back to theater in ancient Greece.

2. The Greek tragedy had a huge impact on Western civilization

Tragedy, a genre that focuses on human suffering, was the most valuable theatrical form in Ancient Greece. The first performance of the tragedy in Dionysius is attributed to the playwright and actor Thespis. It is said that he received a goat as a prize. The word "tragedy", which means "goat song" in Classical Greek, probably comes from the award that Thespis of Ikaria received. Moreover, the word thespian is used even today to refer to a theater artist. The Greek tragedy had a huge impact on the theater of Ancient Rome and the Renaissance, insofar as it is said to have played a historically important role in the self-determination of Western civilization. In addition to tragedy, other major dramatic forms in Greek theater were comedy, a performance that pitted two groups against each other in an amusing conflict; and satire, a play based on Greek mythology that was rife with feigned drunkenness, insolent sexuality, pranks, jokes, and general hilarity.

3. Three Pieces of the Dionysius Festival

5th century BC NS. considered the golden age of Greek drama. By this time, five days of the Dionysia festival were devoted to theatrical performances. At least three of these days were devoted to tragic plays. There was a competition between the three playwrights, in which each presented his own set of three tragedies and one satire play in the following days. Most of the surviving Greek tragedies were performed during the time of Dionysius. Besides the tragedies, there was also a competition between five comic writers who presented one play each. Although comedies were of secondary importance and were not held in the same high regard as tragedies, many were honored to receive the Best Comedy in the City of Dionysius prize.

4. The structure of the Greek theater

Greek theater buildings had three main elements: the orchestra, skene and theatron. Orchestra was the centerpiece of the theater, where the real play was to take place. It was usually rectangular or round in shape. Skene was a building just behind the orchestra. It was used as a backstage stage where the actors changed their Greek theatrical costumes and masks. While the skene was originally a temporary structure like a tent or hut, it later became a permanent structure of stone. In many cases the skene was drawn and served as the backdrop for the play. Theatron, which means “viewing space,” refers to the seating area from where the audience watched the play. In addition, the orchestra was usually located on a flat terrace at the foot of the hill, so that the slope created a natural theater.

5. Theatrical masks

Dramatic masks, which have now come to symbolize theater, originated in ancient Greece. The two masks together represent comedy and tragedy, the two main genres of Greek theater. The comedy mask is known as Thalia, the muse of comedy in Greek mythology, while the tragedy mask is known as Melpomene, the muse of tragedy. Greek theatrical masks have been used since the 6th century BC. Masks were one of the hallmarks of classical Greek theater, and for a good reason. Large masks helped exaggerate the actors' emotions and facial features. In theaters where thousands of people gathered, this was necessary. The actors wore dark masks for tragedies and bright masks for comedies. The masks were made from organic materials, due to which there is no physical evidence of Greek theatrical masks. The masks were intended for both the actors and the choir. Since the choir represented the same character, they all wore the same mask.

6. Women were forbidden to play in ancient Greek theater

In the early years, Greek tragedies had only one actor. This actor wore a costume and mask to represent the gods. This is perhaps the closest connection between plays and the religious rituals from which they arose. Thespis in 520 BC NS. created the concept of the choir, where the actor spoke to the leader of the choir, and the choir just sang and danced without saying a word. Then the actor began to change the costumes in the skene, which made it possible to divide the play into different episodes. A few years later, the number of actors admitted to the play was increased to three. Only by the 5th century BC even more actors were admitted to the play. All roles in Greek theater plays were played by men. Women did not play in ancient Greek plays, and there is still debate over whether they came to see the plays at all.

7. The choir was an integral part of the ancient Greek theater

The choir was a unique feature of Greek theatrical plays, and in the early years it was an integral part of the play. The choir members wore ostentatious costumes designed to attract attention. The choir could represent almost anything from giant bees to knights and kitchen utensils. However, he often played a group character. He could also provide comments, summaries and information that is not part of the dialogue. In some cases, the choir members even voiced the characters' secret thoughts and fears. The choir either spoke in unison or sang. This was an important technique used when there were only one to three actors on the stage of the Greek theater. However, by the 5th century BC. NS. the importance of the chorus began to decline, and it was no longer an integral part of the main drama.

8. No death and violence on stage

Greek tragedies often dealt with moral questions and tragic dilemmas without a win. And their plots were almost always inspired by Greek mythology, which was part of the religion. There were some peculiarities in the Greek tragedy. For example, there were certain limitations when it came to depicting death and violence. Stage violence was completely prohibited. Moreover, the character always died behind the scenes in a skene, and only his voice could be heard. And all because killing in front of the audience was considered inappropriate. In addition, in the early years, poets were prohibited from using their plays to speak out about the politics of the time. However, over time, the theater began to be used to voice the ideas and problems of the democratic, political and cultural life of Ancient Greece. Playwrights have often used myths as a metaphor to create anxiety about the present.

9. Greek comedy consists of 4 parts

The ancient Greek comedy was divided into four parts. The first part was called "parados", in which a choir of twenty-four singers sang and danced. The second part was known as "agon". Usually it was a verbal duel between the main characters. The scenes changed quickly, the plot often had fantastic elements and there was plenty of room for improvisation. In the third movement, in parabasis, the choir performed in front of an audience. The final part of the performance was the “exodus”, where the choir usually gave an incendiary performance of songs and dances. Less formal in nature, comic plays in ancient Greece allowed poets to comment on current events in a satirical manner.

10. Fathers of Greek tragedy and comedy

Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides are the three most famous ancient Greek tragedians, a significant number of whose plays have survived to this day. Aeschylus is known today as the "father of tragedy." It was with his works that the knowledge of the genre of tragedy began. Moreover, he is the first famous playwright to present plays in the form of a trilogy. Sophocles is considered the most famous playwright of his time, and his play Oedipus the King is regarded by many scholars as a masterpiece of ancient Greek tragedy. Euripides, considered "the most tragic of poets", became the most popular of the three, thanks to which more of his plays survived than the works of Aeschylus and Sophocles combined. Comedy in Ancient Greece is divided into three periods: old comedy, medium comedy, and new comedy. While the average comedy is mostly lost, Aristophanes and Menander are the most famous representatives of the old and new comedy, respectively. Preserved eleven plays of Aristophanes, which is why, he is often called "the father of comedy."

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