Abstract This paper discusses the role of ancientGreek drama in Greek society. The paper explains the stage styles, how actors performed and the main types of plays performed in ancientGreektheater. The author discusses tragedies, comedies and a special form of theater called "dithyramb," which was sung by a large chorus. The paper goes on to discuss the importance of the elements of prose, lyrics and dancing in the ancientGreek drama. The paper then goes on to discuss some of ancient Greece's foremost playwrights, as well as theories about the origins of drama.
From the Paper "The word 'Drama' as such has originated from the Greek words that mean 'to do', or 'to act'. When a story is acted out, it becomes a 'play', and this was the medium used by the ancient Greeks to act out their stories, which were either humorous and were about funny situations in their everyday lives, or they would be great tragedies, which would act out some important episode or period of their lives at the time. The speech and actions of the play would therefore, recreate human lives and its flow. It can be stated that ancient Greece was in fact the real birthplace of the future 'drama' of the Western world. In Greece, these plays or dramas were presented on stage twice a year, in honor of the God Dionysius, and there would be choruses made up of men who would be dressed up in goatskins, and who were meant to represent 'satyrs' or those mythical creatures who were partly goat, and partly man."
The paper describes the role of the chorus in ancientGreektheater. It talks about the origin of the chorus and theater and how the chorus worked in the Euripides's "Hippolytus". The paper also focuses on the effect Greektheater had on modern theater.
Abstract This paper tells what the chorus brought to Greektheater and how theater was shaped because of it. The paper discusses this topic while examining one of the most famous Greek play, "Hippolytus," by Euripides. The chorus was a crucial part of theater during that time and was used to narrate the story, give their opinion of the plot, and keep a rhythm for the play. The chorus did this in various ways, such as through costumes, stage presence, music, and singing. The Greek chorus was a precursor to operas and musicals as we know them today, and the paper discusses this evolution of the chorus.
From the Paper "The chorus is essential to ancient Greek drama, and the plays at that time were greatly dependent on song and dance which the chorus performed (Ley 28). It accompanied the actors with sounds, gestures, postures, costumes, masks etc, and these flowing actions and stage elements brought the play to life. The various roles of the chorus are to narrate, give their opinions and keep the rhythm of the play. They do this through singing, movement, and stage presence. The ancient Greek theater is also important because it was the precursor to operas and musicals as we know them today. This paper will discuss the importance of the chorus' roles on the Greek stage by examining Euripides' Hippolytus and also how it influenced modern theater. To fully understand the reason for the chorus it is necessary to know the history."
Abstract This paper discusses similarities between the ancientGreeks and the ancient Hebrews. It discusses the similarities in terms of both being relatively small kingdoms, both being centered on a few autonomous cities, both with a well-developed religious mythos, and both given to philosophical writings. The paper then compares the ancientGreeks and Hebrews to the ancient Romans.
From the Paper "Ancient Greece and the ancient Hebrews had similar civilizations in many respects, both being relatively small kingdoms, both being centered on a few autonomous cities, both with a well-developed religious mythos, and both given to philosophical writings. Neither civilization was as grandiose or widespread as the Roman civilization that followed, and both were shaped around smaller groupings of warring cities or tribes. The tribes of Israel were unified and held together first by their beliefs, but they clearly lacked many of the elements considered essential to the concept of a nation. The tribes of Israel never acted long as a unit prior to the time of the rise of the monarchy in Palestine. There was before that time only single tribes, and occasionally small groups of tribes intervening in historical events. The term "nation" used to refer to the Israelites cannot be seen as having the same sense when used for other nations."
Abstract This paper traces the history of the architectural form and cultural function of the amphitheatre from its modest beginning in ancient Greece through to the Roman influenced theatre of today. It examines how, although some aspects of their design and function are debatable because so little of their physical structure exists today, Greektheaters can be chronologically classified into three categories: The early Athenian, Hellenistic and Graeco-Roman. It discusses how all of these theaters could be divided into essentially three parts: the theatron (or auditorium), the orchestra and the skene (or scene building) and how these standards developed over time.
From the Paper "In its simplest form the orchestra of a theater is simply a circular plot of land designated as a place for dance and this idea defines the orchestra employed during this time. It was circular in shape with a diameter of about 66 feet and was believed to be a locus for supernatural powers. An altar (or thymele), described as "a short drum of marble decorated with low-relief carvings of garlands and satyrs, or other Greek icons? was usually erected in the epicenter of the orchestra. It was primarily used prior to performances for sacrifices in honor of the god Dionysus, however plays with religious content often incorporated the altar into the performance. A level surface area, raised one foot from the orchestra and situated below the skene, termed the proscenium, served as the area in which the majority of the dramatic action transpired."
Abstract This paper explains that the evolution of theater in Greece may be linked directly to the festivals of Dionysus, the Grecian god of wine and misrule. The author points out that Greektheaters, including the theater of Dionysus, were not free-standing works of architecture, but rather they were built into hills in amphitheater forms. The theaters of Lycurgus replaced the original wood of the Dionysus theater with stone, reaffirming the importance of theater in the city of Athens' civic and religious life, which continued well into Hellenistic times, culminating in the Romans' added changes to the structure and including the addition of the Bema.
Table of Contents
History of Theater in Ancient Greece
Architecture of GreekTheaters Parodos
Bema of Phaidros
The Central Section
Marble Throne of the Priest of Dionysus Eleutherios and Other Priests' Seats
Skene
The Stoa on the South Side of Skene
From the Paper "The parodos of the Theater of Dionysus was a gangway leading into the orchestra over which chorus and actors made their entrances. There are two parodoi, one on each side of the orchestra. Parodos was also the name of the song chanted by the chorus as they entered the orchestra at the beginning of the play. This is another indication of the fusion of the role of ritual, the role of the chorus, and the role of architecture in early Greek theater."
Abstract This paper examines how the acoustics in Greektheater spaces have ultimately proven to play a vital role in spectatorship and performance. It looks at how theater spaces and design were a necessary construct at the time in compelling audiences to become absorbed into the fullest theatrical experience possible, while simultaneously obligating actors to deliver the finest deliverance of dialogue.
From the Paper "Whether by accident or design, there exists some fundamental objections to the theatre spaces that are the foundation of the acoustics. For example, often noise from any section of the auditorium can be distinctly heard in the others. A rowdy audience therefore could ruin the performance. We may recall the tradition, dating from the early days of the theatre before the buildings had assumed permanent stone form, that audiences drummed their heels on the wooden benches to show their disapproval of a play. In a theatre with naturally good acoustics, this must have been devastating. It illuminates the necessity, both for tragedy and comedy, of embodying additional attention-holding devices, and the dangers of allowing a huge crowd to be distracted."
Abstract This paper focuses upon illustrating the relevance of the obvious emphasis and taboo regarding Greek burial or death rites as it is portrayed in a significant amount of ancientGreek literature. It examines how literature has long been a relevant source that historians as well as other scholars can turn to so as to glean at least a marginal understanding regarding the societal norms of the era or culture in particular.
Outline
Introduction
Generalities Regarding AncientGreek Burial Rites
Relevance of Literary Illustrations Regarding AncientGreek Perspectives on Death
Burial Rites Within AncientGreek literature
Conclusion
From the Paper "One of the first things that essentially needs to be taken into consideration is that, as a result of their significantly un-advanced and superstitiously primitive preconceptions and beliefs, that nearly all kinds of ancient literature is tinged, to some degree or another, with elements of the super natural or paranormal. The occult, witches, curses and ghosts, all are things that are mentioned, with varying degree of figurativeness and realism, within ancient British as well as Greek literature. Moreover, there appears to be a particular degree of emphasis upon the relevance and effectuality of such things as oaths and curses, especially in regard to the likes of such being implemented in concern to a particular person's death or burial. This something that is quite strongly portrayed when Euripides? Hippolytus, the protagonist within the play, reasserts his confidence to his father in so much as taking an oath that in death may neither sea nor earth receive my flesh, if I have proved false (Lawson, 1964)."
Abstract In this article, the writer notes that AncientGreek culture is something that has astonished people for generations because it was seemingly so ahead of its time. This civilization created things that were not matched for centuries in other places and is even responsible for ideas that are still in use today. The writer looks at ancientGreek advances in mathematics and science in addition to architectural achievements in ancient Greece. The writer notes that political ideologies from ancientGreek times can also still be learned from today. The writer concludes that ancientGreek society is one of the greatest civilizations on record and it should be admired for being so far ahead of its time.
From the Paper "Another famous scholar from ancient Greece was Thales. He was a philosopher and scientist and is sometimes called the father of science. Thales was the person who set the seasons of the year and divided the year into 365 days. He did this by somehow following the path of the sun and things out based on mathematic equations. He was able to effectively estimate the height of the pyramids from the length of their shadows and he taught explorers the value of knowing where Ursa Minor was at all times. Thales was truly a brilliant scientist and his impact on the world is still visible today. Many of his calculations were correct and this is significant because we can learn a lot about Greek civilization by reading his work, since he was normally right. A famous mathematician who was around in ancient Greece was Pythagoras. He is known as the father of numbers and is probably best known for creating the Pythagorean Theorem, which is a method finding out the dimensions of a triangle and is still taught in schools today. He believed that absolutely everything was related to mathematics and that everything could be predicted and measured in rhythmic patterns or cycles."
Abstract This paper discusses why the study of the AncientGreeks matter to the citizens of the West in the twenty-first century. Specifically, the paper analyzes Thomas Cahill's work, "Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea: Why the Greeks Matter" and describes the arguments that Cahill presents as to why we should study the AncientGreeks. The paper also touches on the negative effects of the Greek legacy as well as the positive.
From the Paper "Greece was an undeniably patriarchal society, and women were excluded from political enfranchisement. In understanding the Greek assumptions regarding the warrior-citizen ideal, Cahill believes we may better unburden ourselves of our own obsession with violence as a benchmark of a society's greatness. The presence of both Zeus and Demeter is there: "If Demeter takes us back to an agricultural way of life that imagined Earth and its manifestations as aspects of maternal nurturing, the strident gods of Olympus, challenging and overthrowing one another, males always primed for battle and sexual conquest, females seizing control only by wheedling indirection, are projections of a warrior culture that set victory in armed combat above all other goals--or at least seemed to, for there are always, deep within any society, dreams that run in another, even in a contrary, direction from its articulated purposes" (Cahill 5). We cannot undo the negative effects of the Greek legacy if we do not strive to understand the complexities of Greek civilization, its obsessions and its gifts."
Abstract This paper explores the origins, rise and decline of the Greek civilization, beginning with the first Olympic Games and ending with the dawn of the Roman Empire. It expands on all facets of the ancientGreek culture.
From the Paper "It is no doubt impossible to overstate how profoundly ancient Greek civilization has impacted modern Western society. Providing the first known models of participatory democracy, construing philosophical concepts that have roused debate for two and a half million ..."
Tags:ancient Greece, Classical Greek Period, Socrates, Plato, Alexander the Great, ancient civilizations, Greek mythology
Abstract This paper researches the correlation between the AncientGreek past, the Orthodox Church and Greek culture. It focuses on the areas of the evolution of the Greek Orthodox Church and its practices, art, theatre, music and dance. This paper discusses how each of these areas has roots in Ancient Greece, and the research attempts to demonstrate how these foundations were associated with one another throughout Greek culture.
From the Paper " Theatrical performances began with the use of music by choirs that were praising the gods and pleading for a bountiful harvest. This practice among the ancients also involved the earliest forms of folk dance. These three art forms were later also incorporated into the Orthodox religion through festivals and the practice of a liturgy that remains of cultural significance today.Greek culture has evolved from ancient times with many of the original traditions still being honored today. Elements of ancient Greek culture exist in modern society because the Greeks provided a foundation of many of the world's forms of art. Theatre, for example, began in Greece as a musical choir form of devotion to the gods to ensure a good harvest. Greek art was considered an intricate craftsmanship that demonstrated the precision and advanced technique of an innovative culture."
Abstract This paper provides a discussion of the long tradition of the influence of ancient Egyptian art on ancientGreek artists. The paper looks at how the art of both are affected by their societies' world views. The paper discusses the primary functions of Egyptian art and the different style of Greek art, particularly in relation to depiction of figures.
From the Paper "This paper compares ancient Egyptian art with ancient Greek art and considers the ways in which the Greeks were influenced by Egyptian art. Egypt established a long and enduring artistic tradition. Greek art drew heavily on that background, using many of the same kinds of subjects and incorporating many similar symbols but then reinterpreted them through very different eyes and a strikingly different cultural perception. Both visions continue to have a profound impact on artists in modern cultures from their representation of everyday life to the varied..."
Abstract This paper explores the styles of ancientGreek art and the depiction of mythological and heroic images in art. The paper devotes time to describing the Mykonos amphora, the combination of scenes that depicts acts of Greek brutality and violence. The paper also describes many other pieces of pottery and art that are representations of the Trojan War's climactic events and discusses the tendency to merge together disparate episodes of the Iliad narrative. The writer opines that the images and depictions found on a great variety of ancientGreek pottery provide a fascinating glimpse into the cultural and artistic world of one of the first societies to practice democracy and to explain the natural world in scientific terms.
From the Paper "In essence, the oral history of the Trojan War has come down to us through the epic poem the Iliad by the Greek poet Homer who composed this famous account of the conflict between the Trojans and the Greeks sometime during the 8th century BCE and the Ilioupersis ("The Sack of Ilion") by Arktinos of Miletos which survives only in a few ancient references (Magrath, 2002). The basic tale of the Trojan War relates events that allegedly occurred some five hundred years prior to the writing of the Iliad and the Ilioupersis, circa the 13th century BCE during the Mycenaean Period in ancient Greece."
Tags: Trojan, War, Mykonos, amphora, Achaeans, Helen, Menelaus, Cassandra, Astyanax
Abstract This paper examines the potential link between the philosophies of Hobbes, Machiavelli and the AncientGreeks. It looks at how the form of "democracy" we ascribe to the ancientGreeks was no more a democracy than we have anywhere in the world today. It evaluates how in the eras separating Plato from Hobbes, human nature has not really changed a great detail in the hope of finding a better destiny and how man is still reaching for a form of equality especially in politics. In particular, it analyzes the political beliefs of Hobbes and Machiavelli.
From the Paper "Hobbes, for some reason, feels that there is more equality among men, both physically and intellectually. He sees ?infallible rules, called Science. . .as being not a native faculty, born with us. . .I find yet a greater equality amongst men, than that of strength" (Hobbes, 1985, p. 183). It is interesting that in the middle of the Seventeenth century, Hobbes would find that there seems to be more equality in terms of reason or intellect than in strength. But, what he seems to be really getting at is that there is an equality of ability, not necessarily of fulfilling that intellectual ability."
Abstract In this article, the writer examines the similarities between the ancientGreek and Egyptian religions, but notes that there were also some differences between the religions. The religions' similarities regarding their creation myths, their pantheon of Gods, their ritual sacrifices performed to honor Gods, and their views of how humans and Gods interacted are all discussed by the paper. The writer concludes that while having some differences, the similarities between ancientGreek and Egyptian religion are many. This paper includes an annotated bibliography.
From the Paper "The question of where humans and life came from is on that all religions try to answer. Greek and Egyptian religions were no exception to the rule. Both cultures believed that a God was responsible for the creation of the Earth. In Egyptian creation story explains that Atum, the son God, existed alone in the universe. He then created his brother and sister, Shu, the air and life God, and Tefnut, the moisture and order God. This is similar to Greek beliefs that Gaia sprang from nothing and was alone in the universe as well, until her siblings came to be, representing various elements as well. They included Erebos, the God of nights, and Tartarus, the God of underground."
