Great Ages of Drama/Rising of the Moon
Outline of “The Great Ages of Drama”
The form of Drama performed by the Egyptians took place as annual ceremonies, or festivals celebrating pharaoh, it is probable that the Egyptians invented Drama. Although, the Greeks believe they were the first to try their skill at the art. The Greeks used theater “as a way of interpreting their relationships with their gods and of reinforcing their sense of community” (Jacobos 7). The Greeks produced tragedies as well as comedies, both of which still have an impact on drama today. Next comes Roman Drama. The Romans borrowed drama from the Greeks, and while it did play a part in their entertainment, it was not as key to their society as it was to the Greeks. The fall of Rome leads to a dry period where many of the plays went unread until five centuries later, during the Medieval era. Through this period drama starts in religious ceremonies and eventually works its way to the rest of society. The majority of these plays were Mystery plays, plays based on the Bible, and Morality plays. Then comes Renaissance Drama where Opera is born through experimentation with bringing music into drama. People are drawn to plays about history and tragedy, including many works by Shakespeare. The Late Seventeenth and Eighteenth-Century Drama has a small period where theaters were closed. Then Prince Charles gains reign as King and restores drama. New theaters are built and women finally take part in acting. In Japan a new form of theater is developed using puppets instead of people in order to focus more attention on the play instead of the people. The Nineteenth and Twentieth Century produce more than thirty thousand plays, many of which are “dumbed down” to appease less intellectual audiences. Melodrama is introduced and playwrights experiment with audience reaction. This brings us to the twenty-first century with high production costs with a mix of experimental and conventional techniques.
The Sergeant’s Last Line
I thought
The form of Drama performed by the Egyptians took place as annual ceremonies, or festivals celebrating pharaoh, it is probable that the Egyptians invented Drama. Although, the Greeks believe they were the first to try their skill at the art. The Greeks used theater “as a way of interpreting their relationships with their gods and of reinforcing their sense of community” (Jacobos 7). The Greeks produced tragedies as well as comedies, both of which still have an impact on drama today. Next comes Roman Drama. The Romans borrowed drama from the Greeks, and while it did play a part in their entertainment, it was not as key to their society as it was to the Greeks. The fall of Rome leads to a dry period where many of the plays went unread until five centuries later, during the Medieval era. Through this period drama starts in religious ceremonies and eventually works its way to the rest of society. The majority of these plays were Mystery plays, plays based on the Bible, and Morality plays. Then comes Renaissance Drama where Opera is born through experimentation with bringing music into drama. People are drawn to plays about history and tragedy, including many works by Shakespeare. The Late Seventeenth and Eighteenth-Century Drama has a small period where theaters were closed. Then Prince Charles gains reign as King and restores drama. New theaters are built and women finally take part in acting. In Japan a new form of theater is developed using puppets instead of people in order to focus more attention on the play instead of the people. The Nineteenth and Twentieth Century produce more than thirty thousand plays, many of which are “dumbed down” to appease less intellectual audiences. Melodrama is introduced and playwrights experiment with audience reaction. This brings us to the twenty-first century with high production costs with a mix of experimental and conventional techniques.
The Sergeant’s Last Line
I thought