The Role of Theatres in Ancient Greek - Essay Example

Assignment: Discuss the role of the theatre or amphitheater in the ancient Greek or Roman city. Name Professor’s name Date The architectural style of ancient Greek theatre derives its inspiration from the Greece theatrical culture. During the 550BC and 220BC, theatre had developed in the city of Athens due to the historic heritage that the city carried with it. Athens is identified as a prehistoric city in Greece since it is equipped with the cultural, social and political history that was established in Greece in 550bc and 220BC1. Classical Greek theatres during this time were created as part of the Greek festivals of fertility and wine in honouring god Dionysius. The performance of drama and tragedy in honour of god Dionysius formed the basis of elements and structures that architects used as a way of communicating the social issues influencing the culture of Greece2. The foundation of theatre and its origins is mainly attributed to ancient Greece. This is because the architects in Greece at the time mainly relied on logic and order as performed through drama to communicate the social beliefs of the Greek people concerning mortality and its appearance. For instance the Greek social and cultural history was translated from one generation to the next through historic writings and artistic forms as presented in theatre structures. A good example is the outdoor theatre at Epidaurus which was built in a structural manner that would accommodate a large magnitude of the audience as well as artists on stage and the orchestra3. The architecture of these theatres heavily depended on the traditional culture and designs of ancient Greek. Architects built these theatres at the base of a hill to form a bowl like structure that would enable the audience to have a view of the performers. For instance the famous theatre of Dionysus in Athens was situated at the bottom of Acropolis. Additionally, the theatres were designed in a way that high priests and the important people in ancient Greek would have a reserved watching area on a terrace or front row seats normally referred to as ‘Prohedria’ in ancient Greek. Evidently, the architectural designs of theatres in ancient Greek paid close attention to detail in terms of history, customs and social issues. Since the theatres were always occupied with almost the entire citizenship within a given location, the theatres were created with strong foundations and a large space that would accommodate up to 14 thousand people or more during a festival or event4. Theatrical paintings and sculptures that presented drama and tragedy which are the two main themes that formed the basis of Greek performances, are well incorporated in the structures of theatres. This is due to the fact that classical theatres in Greece presented a unique view of the historic form of Greece as a medium that facilitated interactions among citizens. Nonetheless, Greek theatre played an important role in the cultural, social and political exchange of beliefs among the people. The rise of classical Greek theatres is mainly credited to the vast religious and drama festivals that were celebrated through performances such as; dances, songs, acts and feasts that were conducted every other season in ancient Greece. As a result, the formation idea of a theatre participated in fostering religion and culture in Greece. The close relationship between drama and religion in Greece greatly influenced the location of a theatre, therefore most of these theatres were built near places of worship5. The structure of Dionysus, explains this architectural and cultural significance of its location as it was strategically built at the arcade of Dionysus which was a sacred sanctuary for many. The theatre at Epidaurus was also strategically placed near Asklepios, which is believed to be a sanctuary that delivered many from sickness and pain, as the god of healing resided there. Moreover, the performances at these theatres equally promoted culture and religion. This is viewed in the sense that most of the performers adopted costumes, masks and performing styles that communicated the social and political culture of the Greek people. On the other hand, most of these performances were conducted in honouring a specific god, like the god Dionysus was praised and worshipped for fertility and wine. Signs and symbols drawn on the walls of these theatres vividly presented the norms, cultures and beliefs of ancient Greek. In Athens, theatres were established as a way of communicating the democratic views of the citizens as well as the social way of life among the people of ancient Greece. As a democratic city, Athens presented different views and ideologies regarding leadership, equality, prominence and success6. The audience represented all these beliefs but mainly showed the colliding ideologies between individual prominence and state prominence in terms of a person’s desire to be honoured individually as opposed to the supremacy of the state they presented7. This is evident in the structural designs and sitting arrangements presented in the theatres. For instance those who were assumed to be noble and prominent sat at the front row seats close to the priests and rulers. By occupying such positions in the theatres a person was able to earn the respect and dignity of the masses and the state. For instance, seats designated for priests, rulers and noble people were marked with clear and distinct captions and engravings. The dynamic arrangements of the audience is a vivid representation of authoritative groups of people in Greece and showcases the essential aspects of the social life in ancient Greek. Theatrical traditions as performed in these theatres and presented by symbols and structures, were representation of festivals and feasts which were meant to parade the whole population for a common purpose. The literary and figurative performances showcased by different societies, were collectively unified through classical theatrical arts to promote unity and harmony among the citizens of Greece during the ancient times. As a result theatres in ancient Greek participated in promoting a common identity among its citizens through arts. This is evident in how the citizens of Athens were able to share their characters, beliefs and social life in these festivals by inviting people from different regions to participate. Through this, the exchange of ideas and beliefs facilitated the rise of a shared structure and lifestyle that the people all around Greece could relate with. Therefore the population in ancient Greece could easily relate with each other through the common foundation they had on shared beliefs in theatre that manifested itself through traditional performances8. Theatre defined the people that lived in Greece during the ancient times. This is because through theatrical acts the Greek people were able to express themselves, their ideas, beliefs and intentions. Therefore, theatre represented the identity of ancient Greek by elaborating the social setting, lifestyle and distinctive elements of ancient Greek9. Through the performances at these theatres, one could easily understanding what separated the Greek people from the rest of the world as well as the defining factors that made ancient Greek unique. The style of theatres in ancient Greek alone were amusing to visitors and this already explained the order and logic of the communities and societies in ancient Greece. As a result every element of the theatre in ancient Greek, from the architectural structure, audiences, artists and to the performances were all distinct in that they are confined in communicating the themes that well described Greece and its citizens. The decorations on the walls, stage and costumes used by the actors all provided an illustration of the mythology facts and artefacts of ancient Greek. Theatres marked important roles played by different characters, gods and rituals, therefore it was a source of the divisional works that different societies presented in ancient Greek. The significance of the different performances in ancient Greece, manifests the myths and ideologies that are represented in the performances during festivals. Most of these festivals were centred on analysing the role of human life and the importance of the nurture of gods in sustaining humanity10. The logic and order of these performances focused on adopting the common social and cultural aspects of ancient Greek lifestyle. This was used as a means to preserve the cultural identity and heritage of the Greek people. Therefore theatres were mainly used as a communication platform whereby the artists used this opportunity to articulate to the audience and remind them the importance of the Greek traditions. Moreover, the theatre played a critical role in dramatizing the myths, norms and cultural beliefs embedded in the lifestyle of the people of Greece. Therefore the theatre acted as a bridging gap between one generation and the next since the performance of drama and tragedy was used to transfer culture from one generation to the next. For instance the Greek sculptures that were included in the creation of theatres mainly composed of gods, heroes, festivals or myths that heavily communicated about the Greek culture. The development of life and deities as depicted in form of poetry, comedy, tragedy and drama is equally translated in sculpture and figures. Architectural structures presented the development of one form of deity from the earliest archaic illustration to the next11. Nonetheless, the myths and rituals presented in these theatres communicated the evolution of the identity of the people of Greece through emulating the fundamental importance and growth of the ancient Greek people. Arguably, theatre was able to unearth various stages of the Greek gods and humanity, thus restoring the heritage of the Greek population. This is because through acts and performances, theatre succeeded in explaining the transition of the earliest forms of ancient Greek and explaining their significance to the people. During the ancient times, the Greek people took advantage of the theatre as a means to create order and meaning in their lives. Theatre took part in nurturing philosophy by communicating the role of human beings in the organization of the community12. This is evident as presented in the architectural form and structure of the theatres through order and symmetry as these venues were used for official public addresses and performances. What is more, theatre put Greek gods and humanity as the central pinnacle of everything which later contributed to the formation of a systematic and stable society which nurtured democracy. Notably, theatre was a home for festivals and events in ancient Greek which are the two main elements of ancient Greek that promoted philosophy by questioning character and seasons. It can therefore be argued that theatre participated in many ways in promoting the intellectual abilities of human beings. This is evident in that performances, arouse the need for making enquiries on logic, challenges and further suggesting a possible solution to social, cultural and political issues that impacted the lives of the Greek people during ancient times. The relationship between theatre and religion fostered philosophy as a driving force that contributed to the development of ancient Greece. Conclusion This essay has analysed the role of theatre in ancient Greek. The essay has critically evaluated the importance of the theatres in the lives and society of people who occupied Greece during the ancient times. The Greek people centred their lives on focusing on religion and drama, therefore theatre was a major basis in the construction of the society and the development of culture and religion. Theatre greatly participated in nurturing the cultural beliefs and religious factors of the Greek people. Architectural evidence in terms of structure, geographical location, forms and figures, provide evidence of the relevance of theatres in ancient Greek. The designs used in the creation of theatres reveal the unique style adopted by ancient architects in Greece. Additionally, one is able to understand that ancient Greek followed a specific structural form in their creations, through the arrangement, designs and figures that were plastered on the walls of these theatres. It is therefore clear that theatre presented logic and order as a distinct aspect of the Greek political, cultural and social life. References Beacham, R. C. (1992). The Roman Theatre and its Audience. Harvard University Press. Bieber, M. (1961). The History of Greek and Roman Theatre. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Goldhill, S. (1997). “The Audience of Athenian Tragedy.” The Cambridge Companion to Greek Tragedy. Easterling. Cambridge University Press. Henderson, J. (1991). “Women and the Athenian Dramatic Festivals.” Transactions of the American Philosophical Association. 121: 133-47 Klar, L. S. (2000). “Theatre and Amphitheatre in the Roman World.” In the Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Retrieved From: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/tham/hd_tham.htm McManus, F. B. (1999). Structure of Greek Theatre. Retrieved From: www2.cnr.edu/home/bmcmanus/tragedy_theatre.html Read More