Greek Drama: Tragedy and Comedy in Ancient Greece
Greek Drama
Origin of Greek Drama: Born in Athens, it was related to the cult of the god Dionysus. During the Great Dionysia in 534 BC, in a procession, the statue of the god was placed over an altar. A choir danced around it, ritually singing a song dedicated to Dionysus, the dithyramb, and they wore goat skins. The word “tragedy” comes from the Greek words “tragos” (goat) and “ode” (song), meaning “song of the goat.” It was accompanied by drama, tragedies, and comedies that lasted five days. Three participating tragic poets were selected, who presented works with the same argument and a satirical mythological drama. Comedies were staged in the afternoon, and tragedies in the morning. A choregos (wealthy citizen) would enter to finance the production.
Tragedy
- Aeschylus: Introduced the second actor in representations, which increased the dialogue between characters and the dramatic action. He is considered the main creator of tragedy as a literary genre. Works: The Suppliants, The Persians, Seven Against Thebes, Prometheus Bound, Oresteia trilogy.
- Sophocles: This tragic poet wrote over 130 plays, of which seven are conserved: Ajax, Antigone, The Trachiniae, Oedipus Rex, Electra, Philoctetes, and Oedipus at Colonus. He introduced the third actor, bringing more drama to the dialogue. He created more complex arguments, increased the chorus, making them more active, and wrote works on separate topics. He created opposing characters, where heroes face their fate alone but consult the divinities.
- Euripides: The youngest of the tragic poets. Works: Alcestis, Medea, Heracles, Hippolytus, Andromache, Hecuba, The Suppliants, Heracles, Ion, The Trojan Women, Electra, Iphigenia in Tauris, Helen, Orestes, The Phoenician Women, The Bacchae. The center of his works is the human being. He transforms the traditional values of the hero and analyzes the psychology of the characters. He is the first author interested in feminine psychology, and he blames the traditional principles of male superiority over women. He is critical of the consequences of war, uses the prologue, and employs the “deus ex machina” (where a divinity appeared on the scene from a machine to save the character and resolve a seemingly irrevocable situation). His language is simple and similar to prose.
Comedy
Derived from the Greek word “komodia,” from “komos” (song and dance festival in the street), meaning “festival song.” It originated from mock phallic processions of Dionysus, where choir members, dressed with phalluses, sang satires about the public. Another theory is that it originated from agricultural festivals. It was represented at the Lenaia festivals and also in the Great Dionysia. Its evolution is divided into “archaia” (ancient), “mese” (middle), and “nea” (new).
- Aristophanes: The greatest representative of ancient comedy. Works: The Acharnians, The Knights, The Clouds, The Wasps, Peace, The Birds, Thesmophoriazusae, Lysistrata, The Frogs, Assemblywomen, and Plutus. He satirizes current events. The chorus has great importance in the action and may be formed by unique characters such as birds.
- Menander: The best-known poet of new comedy. At this stage, the genre lost interest in political satire and focused on more realistic aspects of the human being. It is a comedy of romantic themes with entertainment, misunderstandings, and adventures. Works: The Discus Thrower, and pieces like The Farmer, The Shield, and The Flutist.
The Theban Cycle
Oedipus is one of the key figures of Greek tragedies, part of the Theban cycle. Two Greek tragedies bear his name: Oedipus Rex and Oedipus at Colonus. The origin of his lineage goes back to the god Ares and Aphrodite. Harmonia was born and married Cadmus. Poisoned gifts received caused troubles to the descendants of the couple. Cadmus was the brother of Europa, whom Zeus kidnapped. Cadmus asked the Delphic oracle where she was, and the oracle advised him to leave the search and instead found a city where a cow with a picture of a moon fell. He found it and founded Thebes. Cadmus and Harmonia had Polydorus, father of Labdacus. Labdacus was succeeded by Laius. An oracle prophesied that Laius’ son would kill him and marry his wife, Jocasta. Due to his negligence, the baby was caught by shepherds and taken to the kings of Corinth, who adopted him. He was called Oedipus. Unknowingly, he killed his father. He went to Thebes, confronted the Sphinx, who posed an enigma: “What being on earth is endowed with a voice, and at first has four legs, then two, and then three?” The answer was “man.” He became king of Thebes and married Jocasta. They had four children: Eteocles, Polynices, Antigone, and Ismene.