Preview

Ancient Greek Theatre Research Paper

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
992 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Ancient Greek Theatre Research Paper
How many countless influences do we obtain from the Greeks? In what ways do they characterize modern thinking? Whether it's our use of democracy, the lessons of the sciences, or our advancements in art and architecture, it can usually be traced back to the Grecian civilization. However, arguably one of its most significant and interesting contributions would have to be its timeless impact on theatre. Ancient Greek theatre has paved the way for Shakespeare, Molière, and to Oscar Wilde of the 19th century. Ancient Greek theatre had the most significant impact on the incorporation of themes of comedy, tragedy, and satire, and the use of its platform for the expression of thought has influenced modern theatre and entertainment for centuries.
There
…show more content…

It was created to be presented in an active storytelling that would take advantage of “people's pity, fear, and catharsis of passions” (Karayannakos). Through time it received specific guidelines such as the use of embellished language and the order of its parts. It is noted that “tragedy is the imitation of life itself, it was to give the spectator a chance to despise, pity, and love the leading actor” (Karayannakos). Emotion was a key part of its delivery, capitalizing on the pit of despair and punishment that the character must endure before the spectator can feel that justice has been served. Modern theatre highly profits from this theme as it reappears a limitless amount of times. (Cartwright) It draws inspiration from the Greeks with the use of doom, and how one sacrifice is atoned for another. Perhaps one of the most recognized poets of the 17th century, William Shakespeare made sure to incorporate emotions and human nature into his plays. One of the greater examples of modern tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, plays on the themes of love which leads to sorrow in the lead character’s story. The two lovers are overcome with passion and put aside all values, which epitomizes the Greek use of despair and arrogance. (Chapmen) Modern theatre has drawn enough inspiration from ancient Greek theatre to conflate on both naturalism and drama.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Greek Theater Analysis

    • 357 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Theater got from the Greek time of Dionysian festivity function move express gratitude toward God. Theater fabricating basically mountain building. Curve shows up in the theater, demonstrating that the first Greek style structural planning, with new components Romanesque construction modeling. Since down to earth purposes, the utilization of Romanesque curve theater the way, can hold up development of a huge number of onlookers in the stands.…

    • 357 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Greek ideas have heavily influenced modern fine arts. A notable example of their impact is found in Greek theatrical culture. They first invented drama as an art form and wrote two major types of drama—tragedy…

    • 507 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    One of the primary impetuses in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is intense, wild feelings; love, hatred, anger, captivation, and shock are all obvious in the play and directly affect the terrible scenarios that develop. In (II.ii), the most acquainted feelings passed on are those of despondency, adoration and genuineness. Shakespeare utilizes symbolism, non-literal language and effective vocabulary to pass on these feelings to his audience.…

    • 439 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Greek theater took great advantage of the natural surroundings, a great theater design, and technologically advanced props and equipment. The Theater itself consisted of 4 parts, the Orchestra, the Skene, the theatron, and the paradoi. Technologically advanced equipment such as the machina, or the ekeclema gave the greek theater an air of believability. Oedipus took advantage of many of these aspects of the theater, and used them to a great advantage.…

    • 521 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    When dwelling upon the main developments of the theatre, one turns to look at the origins of its birth, therefore focusing upon the Ancient Greeks. A lot of the theatre in which is established today comes from the activities of Greek Worship. The Greeks worshipped their Gods, including ‘the worship of Dionysus; the God of fertility and wine.’ (Gascoinge; History of Theatre, 2001 ongoing.) The Greeks worshipped their Gods through the use of sculpting, painting, music and literature, alongside this they incorporated dance, music and drama. As many of the Athenian’s were illiterate, Greek Theatre was used to explain to the communities the literature in which was written, allowing them through ‘reading artistic signals’ (Michael Walton, J; The Greek Sense of Theatre, Pg.4) to understand ‘the world about them, their fellow men and their Gods.’ (Michael Walton, J; The Greek Sense of Theatre, Pg.4)…

    • 886 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The emotions portrayed in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet play an important part in the composition of the play. The two crucial emotions that are introduced in Act One and used throughout the play are the antonyms of love and hate. Contrast between these emotions are used in the first act, which supplies us with a more realistic situation. The complicated and conflicting relationships between the characters in the play are explored and portrayed by these emotions.…

    • 840 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Shakespeare's plays have amazed many generations with his superior vocabulary and compelling characters and plot. Shakespeare's plays would not be nearly as well known or rejoiced if it wasn't for the Globe Theatre, a revolutionary (at the time) design that made it easy for the audience to see the performance. The theatre unfortunately was burnt on June 29, 1663 was rebuilt on June 1964, but more on that later. The Globe was Shakespeare's first theatre for the company he worked for; they built it just for their playwright's which at the time was amazing. Shakespeare had a love for the theatre and felt that the building of the Globe Theatre many more people would be able to enjoy it also, and he was right.…

    • 658 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Shakespeare's is really emotional for his stories and plays, it’s like he wants audience to realize how emotions can catch a reader or an audience’s attention. “Strong historic relationship of Romeo and Juliet” Robshaw Brandon. What Robshaw is trying to say is Romeo and Juliet was a good way to be an example of falling in love and showing feelings or emotions for readers and audience to understand more of what love really is about. Imagine if you were Shakespeare and how he expresses so much feelings into his plays and…

    • 531 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Greece was the birthplace of Western Civilization because its culture became the embodiment for the other western civilizations. The tale of the ancient Greek civilization showed an immense painful history of foreign supremacy. But their civilization was built on solid foundation and led by powerful leaders that created values, norms and customs that are still being practiced and observed by many modern societies. This is the reason why the Greek civilization continued to flourish, remembered, celebrated throughout the entire world. One of the factors that can be considered as an important part of the Greek civilization development is the geography. The geography of Greece had a very overwhelming impact on every aspect like its political, cultural,…

    • 1613 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Have you ever wondered how the theater become so popular? People will think that it was because of Hollywood or some other thing, but it started on the eastern side of the world. There was a movement called the Renaissance, and that movement created theaters and many other things that people enjoy in our modern world. There were many theaters during the Renaissance, but one of the greatest known theaters were the Elizabethan theaters. The Elizabethan theater would not become a spectacular place for entertainment if it was for a new time period, the playwrights, and the theater’s design and features.…

    • 1675 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the United States today there are various different types of art, many different religions, and several different thought processes. However, all these things didn't just develope over night. The rise of modern day art, religion, and thought developed in ancient Greece. This explains why ancient Greece was so similar to modern day culture in many ways.…

    • 467 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Ancient Greece was made up of independent city-states and sometimes they were called polis (oligarchy) except the cities of Athens and Sparta. The Spartans were ruled by monarchy while the Athenians introduced the first democratic government in the world. This meant that citizens of Athens were allowed to vote to choose in the political matters. Therefore, to be a citizen one would have to be born with Athenian parents and be a male. Men were either serving in the military, into political issues, hosting parties or in the theater for entertaining. Metics, people who immigrated to Athens to trade or practice their craft, were not allowed to take part in political matters, and could never truly earn…

    • 1484 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Early civilizations all over the world have pioneered numerous technological advances that many people take for granted today. They had revolutionary discoveries in medicine, philosophy, inventions, and religion. Ancient societies have contributed much to the practices that are used today. Ancient Greece, Egypt, and areas in Mesopotamia have all paved the path for many things we use every day in the modern world.…

    • 675 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    William Shakespeare is known as the literary genius behind the classic play Romeo and Juliet. However, his play is not as original as many people may think it is. Thirty years prior to Romeo and Juliet, the play Romeus and Juliet was written; Pyramus and Thisbe was written even earlier. In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare reveals to his audience that love is a powerful force that cannot be denied, which is also shown in the films West Side Story, Gnomeo and Juliet, Romeo + Juliet, and Shakespeare in Love.…

    • 1924 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Character comedy Stock characters, stereotypes- A stock character is a fictional character that relies heavily on cultural types or stereotypes for its personality, manner of speech, and other characteristics.…

    • 420 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays