Introduction
The immense cultural value of Ancient Greece cannot be overestimated. Greek dramaturgy, a particular representative of that time period, served as a cultural medium that not only entertained its contemporaries but also allowed them to preserve this knowledge for future generations and human civilization as a whole. In this context, the current research paper provides an overview of two genres of dramaturgy from the 6th, 5th, and 4th centuries. It includes their impact on contemporary art to illustrate the changes in public preferences.
Tragedy
A history of tragedy might appear controversial at first glance. According to Segovia and Segovia, the origins of Greek tragedy can be attributed to a logical progression from dithyrambs, Dionysian rites, and respective cults (21). However, it does not explain why this invention was required or how it was accomplished.
The answer lies in the underlying societal context of tragedy. Its era began in the sixth century and was marked by two revolutions. The first gave rise to tyrannies, whereas the latter culminated in the proliferation of literacy in society (Steele 39). These political, economic, and communication developments influenced cultural evolution by establishing an original cultural agency.
For the next two centuries, tragedy was a dominant genre in the theater. Due to the focus on depicting myths and legends, plays such as Prometheus Bound, Oedipus the King, Hippolytus, and Bacchae are filled with fatalistic thought (Aeschylus, Euripides, Sophocles). However, at the end of the fifth century, the emphasis seemed to transition from epic tales to more human-oriented topics (Liapis and Petrides 2). For instance, in Euthyphro and Phaedrus, there is no trace of extraordinary events (Plato). In them, the author raises ethical and philosophical dilemmas in the questions of justice, morality, rhetoric, and love.
Comedy
During the 6th and 5th centuries, comedy was not as popular as tragedy. The most acknowledged and well-known works belong to Aristophanes, whose dramaturgy is dated to the late 5th century (Lever ch. 1). However, before his prime, the genre started solidifying, using the popular theatrical themes to its advantage. In this context, parodies and burlesques based on myths were a common finishing performance that followed a three-stage tragedy (Lever ch. 1). Compared to tragic drama, they often included self-mocking, taunting, and teasing.
Art
In many ways, the theater of ancient Greece defined the development of art. For instance, it promoted mask production and public employment to convey societal ideals. The masks used by those participating in theatrical shows had several purposes.
When a performer wore a mask during an act, he assumed a new visage and indicated a change into a figure recognizable to viewers from inherited legends (Ike et al. 990). Apart from that, masks were essential in massive outdoor theaters. Not only did they allow the audience to distinguish faces from a considerable distance easily, but they also allowed a single performer to play numerous characters in a play.
Apart from that, various theatrical imagery can be found in ancient Greek pottery. For instance, the Pronomos Vase represents actors in the roles of Dionysos, Pronomos, Ariadne, Demetrios, and mythical beasts of contemporary Greek folklore, such as satyrs and maenads (Carpenter 268). An important notion is that this type of imagery reflects the evolution of theatrical tendencies. For instance, the military themes of the sixth century would focus on depicting a battle, whereas later imagery portrays “a young man receiving a helmet” (Carpenter 269). Namely, there is a shift from epic and mythical to more grounded and regular.
Conclusion
Significant changes in the public’s entertainment preferences can explain the chosen time period. In ancient Greece of the 6th and 5th centuries, tragedy was the dramaturgy of choice, depicting epic tales, myths, gods, and heroes. In the meantime, comedy started solidifying in the late 5th and 4th centuries using the same themes, albeit changing the dramatic tone into a more light and mood-strengthening one. These changes are reflected in artistic expression through masks and pottery imagery.
Works Cited
Aeschylus. “Prometheus Bound.” The Internet Classic Archive. Web.
Carpenter, T. H. “Painted Pots and Greek History.” The Classical Review, vol. 69, no. 1, 2019, pp. 267-269. Web.
Euripides. “The Bacchae, and Other Plays.” Internet Archive. Web.
Ike, John David, et al. “Face Masks: Their History and the Values They Communicate.” Journal of Health Communication, vol. 25, no. 12, 2021, pp. 990- 995. Web.
Lever, Katherine. The Art of Greek Comedy. Routledge, 2022.
Liapis, Vayos, and Antonis K. Petrides, editors. Greek Tragedy after the Fifth Century: A Survey from ca. 400 BC to ca. AD 400. Cambridge University Press, 2019.
Plato. “Euthyphro.” The Internet Classic Archive. Web.
—. “Phaedrus.” Internet Archive. Web.
Segovia, Carlos A., and Sofya Shaikut Segovia. Dionysus and Apollo after Nihilism. Brill, 2023.
Sophocles. “Oedipus the King.” The Internet Classic Archive. Web.
Steele, Philippa M. A Companion to the Archaeology of Early Greece and the Mediterranean. John Wiley & Sons, 2019.