Ancient Greek Theatre
Greek theatre peaked in the V century BC and is known as the oldest theatre in Europe. The legacy in art left to us by antiquity is immense. Ancient architecture, sculpture, literature and theatre have been the subject of study and imitation through all the followed centuries. For example, when, the first literary comedies and tragedies were made up in the Renaissance era, the pieces of ancient authors have served as models for them. Moreover, prominent European playwrights (Shakespeare, Corneille, Schiller, Goethe) have repeatedly appealed to the rich theatrical heritage left by antiquity. Many playwrights of the XX century also used the ancient stories and images (Hauptmann, Sartre, Anouilh). Ancient Greek theatre was …show more content…
Mimic games were part of the celebrations dedicated to the rising of fertility gods. The celebrations of this type had two sides: a serious and a carnival, celebrating the victory of light forces of life. A cult of Dionysus - the god of fertility and patron of viniculture and winemaking was rich in mimic elements. On holidays devoted to Dionysus, singings were not only festive but also fun. Two genres of Greek drama, tragedy and comedy, grew up from ritual games and songs in honor of Dionysus. The tragedy reflected the serious side of the Dionysian cult; the comedy reflected the carnival and satirical …show more content…
John Green writes that "the use of myth and legend appears to have been especially essential in Greek society, and this is evident in their art as well as in the surviving literature" (5). However, David Wiles argues that "it is misleading to think that Greek audiences knew the stories, and knew what was fated to happen because the job of the dramatist was not to reproduce myths but to recreate them" (5). The interest of the audience was concentrated on the author 's interpretation of the myth and on the social and moral issues, which revolved around the well-known myth episodes. Using the mythological shell, playwright reflected social and political life in the tragedy; he expressed his ethical, philosophical and religious beliefs. Therefore, the role of the tragic representations in the socio-political and ethical education of citizens was
Greek theatre peaked in the V century BC and is known as the oldest theatre in Europe. The legacy in art left to us by antiquity is immense. Ancient architecture, sculpture, literature and theatre have been the subject of study and imitation through all the followed centuries. For example, when, the first literary comedies and tragedies were made up in the Renaissance era, the pieces of ancient authors have served as models for them. Moreover, prominent European playwrights (Shakespeare, Corneille, Schiller, Goethe) have repeatedly appealed to the rich theatrical heritage left by antiquity. Many playwrights of the XX century also used the ancient stories and images (Hauptmann, Sartre, Anouilh). Ancient Greek theatre was …show more content…
Mimic games were part of the celebrations dedicated to the rising of fertility gods. The celebrations of this type had two sides: a serious and a carnival, celebrating the victory of light forces of life. A cult of Dionysus - the god of fertility and patron of viniculture and winemaking was rich in mimic elements. On holidays devoted to Dionysus, singings were not only festive but also fun. Two genres of Greek drama, tragedy and comedy, grew up from ritual games and songs in honor of Dionysus. The tragedy reflected the serious side of the Dionysian cult; the comedy reflected the carnival and satirical …show more content…
John Green writes that "the use of myth and legend appears to have been especially essential in Greek society, and this is evident in their art as well as in the surviving literature" (5). However, David Wiles argues that "it is misleading to think that Greek audiences knew the stories, and knew what was fated to happen because the job of the dramatist was not to reproduce myths but to recreate them" (5). The interest of the audience was concentrated on the author 's interpretation of the myth and on the social and moral issues, which revolved around the well-known myth episodes. Using the mythological shell, playwright reflected social and political life in the tragedy; he expressed his ethical, philosophical and religious beliefs. Therefore, the role of the tragic representations in the socio-political and ethical education of citizens was