Theatre History from Ancient Greece to Modern Global Stages

All flashcards

What is theatre as an autonomous activity?

Theatre pursued as a distinct art form and activity, rather than simply as one element of a ritual or another social event.

What is a theatron?

The physical place where spectators watch a performance; the word is associated with the Greek tradition.

What were the three forms of ancient Greek drama?

Tragedy, comedy, and the satyr play.

What was the usual City Dionysia play group?

A tetralogy, usually consisting of three tragedies and one satyr play.

How is Greek comedy traditionally divided?

Into Old Comedy, Middle Comedy, and New Comedy. Aristophanes is the best-known representative of Old Comedy, while Menander is associated with New Comedy.

Quiz questions

1. What distinction do historians make between theatre and performance within ritual?Answer: Theatre functions as an autonomous activity, not merely as part of ritual.
2. What did Aristotle’s contrast between theatre and sacred mysteries help clarify?Answer: Theatre did not require the same ritual actions, even though it could share a sense of purification or healing.
3. Which three forms made up ancient Greek drama?Answer: Tragedy, comedy, and the satyr play.
4. Why was attendance at the City Dionysia significant for Athenians?Answer: It was an important form of participation in the religious and civic life of the city-state.
5. Why is Aeschylus’s The Persians notable among surviving Greek tragedies?Answer: It dramatizes a recent historical event rather than drawing its central story from Greek mythology.