Theatre's Tragic Beginnings
Greek tragedies can be traced back to ancient times, and some of the most famous Greek authors created the first ever plays. The tragedy itself is a genre all its own and its historic origins go deeper than most readers realize.
The Greek Tragedies began as religious events at festivals. There was a chorus, and men dressed in costumes, singing and dancing. This was usually in celebration of the God Dionysos. The word tragedy is actually believed to be derived from the word tragoidia, which means goat-song. Goats were considered sacred to Dionysos, and the costumes worn by the chorus were usually goat skin.
Tragedies themselves are much more than just plays dealing with war and misery where everybody dies in the end. Most people associate them, along with the Roman tragedies, with those scenarios but the stories were meant to teach spectators about the paths of life. Examples of people who chose the wrong path were often depicted in the tragedy to serve as an example to those watching. The protagonist in the play often had to have some fatal flaw...this flaw would lead him or her to make choices that would forever change the course of events in their lives. For some authors, irony was used. For example in The Oedipus Trilogy by Sophocles, King Oedipus searches tirelessly for the murdered of his father, only to realize that he is in fact the one who killed him. Sound interesting? Read the play! Sophocles was perhaps the most influential, popular and prolific playwright of his time. He is credited with winning 20 theatre competitions, and is by far one of the most well known names in Greek Tragedy. Sophocles was not however, the first playwright.
The first person to come up with the idea of adding a separate actor who spoke TO the chorus was Aeschylus. Before him, all festivals simply contained the story by the chorus. Although they were well acted , the addition of a separate actor who spoke to and commented on the chorus gave the spectators an entirely different viewpoint, and allowed the audience to question and examine many more situations than before. He also introduced props, and settings. It is hard to believe that theatre began with just one man, but he was essentially the person who brought to bear what was eventual.
At the time these tragedies came about and especially began to gain popularity, Greece was changing. Philosophy and science were taking off, and new ideas were beginning to shape the minds of Athenians. They began to question the way things were, including their society,
Latest Articles