"Theatre of ancient Greece was a theatrical culture that flourished in ancient Greece from 700 BC. The city-state of Athens, which became a significant cultural, political, and religious place during this period, was its center."
This topic explores classicism in drama, including the use of strict dramatic forms, the emphasis on character, and the portrayal of human nature.
Historical Context: Understanding the historical and cultural background in which Classicism emerged is crucial. Renaissance Italy, France during the 17th century and the Age of Enlightenment are important periods to study.
Characteristics of Classicism: Classicism in drama is characterized by the adherence to rules of unity, decorum, verisimilitude, and clarity of expression. The plays are usually serious, with strong moral and ethical themes.
Neoclassicism: Neoclassicism is a revival of classical aesthetics and values during the 18th and 19th centuries. Neoclassical drama typically emphasizes rationality, logic, and moral rectitude.
Aristotle's Poetics: Aristotle's Poetics is one of the foundational works on literary criticism and its impact on Classicism cannot be overstated. Understanding Aristotle's categorization of drama into tragedy and comedy as well as his theory of the three unities is essential.
French Classicism: French Classicism in drama refers to the period of dramatic literature in France during the 17th century. This period is characterized by the works of playwrights like Racine and Corneille that strictly adhered to the rules of Aristotle's Poetics.
Shakespearean Classicism: While William Shakespeare's work is often seen as an antithesis to Classicism, his plays are steeped in classical themes and motifs.
The Role of the Hero: The hero in Classicism is a morally upright, noble and virtuous character. The hero's ultimate goal is usually the pursuit and attainment of truth and justice.
The Role of Women: Classicism in drama saw the emergence of strong female characters who played an active role in the plot. This was a marked departure from the female portrayal in medieval dramas.
Classicism and Tragedy: Tragedy is a central genre of Classicism. The tragic hero, the use of dramatic irony, and the catharsis at the end of the play, are some of the defining characteristics of Classical tragedies.
Classicism and Comedy: While Classicism in drama is often associated with tragedies, comedies also played a crucial role. Works like Moliere's Tartuffe were notable examples of comedies that adhered to the principles of Classicism.
The Rise of Realism: The Classicism in drama was eventually challenged by the emergence of Realism in the late 19th century. Realism placed a greater emphasis on naturalism, psychological depth, and the complexities of human behavior.
Classicism and Modern Drama: Modern drama saw a revival of Classicism in the early 20th century. Playwrights like T.S.Eliot and Samuel Beckett borrowed heavily from classical themes and conventions to create their works.
Neoclassicism: An approach to drama that aims to revive the classical standards of ancient Greece and Rome. It emphasizes logic, reason, and order in the dramatic structure, and employs characters that represent archetypal values.
French Classicism: A literary movement in 17th-century France that emphasized formal unity, balance, and restraint in drama. Plays were typically written in five acts and contained an exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and denouement.
Restoration Comedy: A form of English drama that flourished during the Restoration period (1660-1710). It emphasized wit, satire, and sexual intrigue, and featured immoral characters who disrupted the social order.
Shakespearean Classicism: A type of drama that borrows heavily from the works of William Shakespeare. It values complexity of character, psychological depth, and universality of theme.
Renaissance Classicism: A movement in literature that emerged during the Renaissance and was characterized by a revival of interest in classical ideals of beauty, proportion, and harmony. It emphasized realism in the depiction of human life and employed literary devices such as comedy, tragedy, and satire.
Enlightenment Classicism: An approach to drama that emerged during the Enlightenment period and emphasized reason, logic, and rationality. It rejected the supernatural and celebrated the power of human reason and free will.
Elizabethan Classicism: A type of drama that emerged during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I and was characterized by a focus on the human condition, nature, and morality. It utilized themes of love, honor, and duty, and employed literary devices such as metaphors, allegories, and allusions.
"The theatre was institutionalized as part of a festival called the Dionysia, which honored the god Dionysus."
"Tragedy (late 500 BC), comedy (490 BC), and the satyr play were the three dramatic genres to emerge there."
"Athens exported the festival to its numerous colonies."
"Modern Western theatre comes, in large measure, from the theatre of ancient Greece, from which it borrows technical terminology, classification into genres, and many of its themes, stock characters, and plot elements."
"The city-state of Athens... became a significant cultural, political, and religious place during this period."
"The festival called the Dionysia, which honored the god Dionysus."
"Tragedy, comedy, and the satyr play were the three dramatic genres to emerge there."
"Tragedy (late 500 BC)..."
"The festival called the Dionysia, which honored the god Dionysus."
"Modern Western theatre... borrows technical terminology, classification into genres, and many of its themes, stock characters, and plot elements."
"Theatre of ancient Greece was a theatrical culture that flourished in ancient Greece from 700 BC."
"Which honoured the god Dionysus."
"Athens exported the festival to its numerous colonies."
"The city-state of Athens... became a significant cultural, political, and religious place during this period."
"Athens exported the festival to its numerous colonies."
"Modern Western theatre... borrows... classification into genres..."
"The theatre was institutionalised as part of a festival called the Dionysia..."
"Comedy (490 BC)... were the three dramatic genres to emerge there."
"Modern Western theatre... borrows... many of its themes, stock characters, and plot elements."