What's the difference between greek theatre and roman theatre - Essay Example

s Differences between Greek and Roman Theatre Greek and Roman Theatres and arts are known to have several overlapping features and it is understandable, for Roman arts evolved and were heavily influenced by the Greeks. However, despite the many similarities, both forms of theatre have some visible disparities that range from the theatre design to the plot structure of their plays. Greek theatrical arts largely contained a religious undertone, as it depicted the protagonist going through moral dilemmas and were based on popular myths and legends.

Roman theatre, on the other hand focuses more on amusing the crowd with a huge spectacle or an elaborate portrayal of violence that was just meant to captivate the audiences and nothing else.Greek theatrics are considered to be a refined form of artistic expression, whereas Romans adopted it from the Greeks just for the sake of entertainment. For this reason, unlike the elaborate architectural designs of Greek theatres, Roman theatres were just temporary structures that were put up for a particular show and then taken down soon after (Walton & McDonald, 2007, p. 218). However, Roman did construct massive amphitheatres but those were primarily meant for gladiatorial activities and games.

Roman theatres were largely 180 degrees and the orchestra was found in the seating area. Whereas, Greeks had open-air theatres that were built in the landscape, despite their simplicity the setting and stages were more elaborated decorated than that of the Romans and were slightly lower. The structure was 270 degrees and the entire theatre was more planned, with a clear demarcation of the areas allocated for the actors, audiences and the orchestra (Walton & McDonald, 2007, p. 136). All in all, the Greeks were incredibly serious about theatrics as a form of social expression, while Romans simply pandered to the demands of the audiences and focused just on making an act as entertaining as possible.

As the elders feared that Roman pragmatism would be tarnished by Greek frivolity, the art form could not go beyond its superficial status. The perceptions of Theatrical Arts varied significantly between the Romans and the Greeks, which is the greatest difference between the two and forms the basis for all other dissimilarities in the production of their plays and the general architecture of the theatre. Work CitedWalton, Michael and McDonald, Marianne. ‘The Cambridge Companion to Greek and Roman Theater’.

Cambridge University Press. 2007, p.p 136, 218.