Verified Document

Drama's Origin And Its Appeal Term Paper

¶ … Origin and Appeal of Drama A generally accepted theory is that drama's origins lie in prehistoric human beings and their rituals which contained music, dance, masks, costumes, a specific performance area, and a division between audience and performance. Later, in Egypt about 4,000 BC texts were written on tomb walls with plot, characters, and stage directions for enacting the body's resurrection. Between 3,000 and 2,000 BC other plays developed which were performed at the coronation of the pharaoh (coronation plays), celebrated pharaoh's 30th year on the throne (jubilee plays), and which were part of religious festivals (passion plays).

Western drama as we know it today started about 600 BC in the ancient city-state of Athens when a Greek poet named Thespis got the idea for an innovation to music. At that time a Greek chorus, with a leader, sang songs about legendary heroes. Thespis, who was probably the leader of the chorus, began to impersonate a character in...

Parts of this document are hidden

View Full Document
svg-one

Later, the people of Athens began to hold an annual contest in tragedy at the festival for Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, fertility and revelry, and Thespis won the first prize at the first competition. After Thespis developed tragedy with one character and a chorus, Aeschylus came along and started using two characters. This made it possible to act out conflicts. Aeschylus explored the relationship between men and the gods in his plays. Then, Sophocles increased the number of actors to three (Ancient Drama web site) and explored themes about the true nature of man. Later, Euripides wrote plays in which human beings were portrayed more realistically and questioned social conditions. Aristotle wrote the first book Poetics about this literary form between 335 and 322 BC (Theatre History Thru Renaissance web site).
The word drama comes from a Greek word that means action because there are parts for actors to perform or…

Sources used in this document:
Bibliography

"Drama: Definition" and Much More From Answers.com:

http://www.answers.com/topic/drama?hl=theatrical&; hl=plays 'Ancient Drama":

http://www.geocities.com/broadway/balcony/7634/ancient_drama.htm?200517

'Theatre History Thru Renaissance"
http://www.selu.edu/Academics/Faculty/cfrederic/TheatreHistoryThruRenaissance.htm
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Drama Poetry How Is the More Direct
Words: 664 Length: 2 Document Type: Essay

Drama Poetry How is the more direct performative aspect of drama and/or poetry reflected in these forms? (Consider for example, each genre's uses of literary structure, language, technique, and style.) In Rupert Goold's Macbeth, the language and literary structure are following the same lines from the Shakespearian play. Yet, the way the characters are speaking and performing their roles helps the individual to understand the setting and background of what is occurring.

Drama Therapy for Children Children's
Words: 1026 Length: 3 Document Type: Term Paper

However, behavioral skills training that incorporated active learning approaches, such as role playing, were found to result in children that were significantly more likely to demonstrate the proper safety skills in role playing and in situ assessments than children who did not receive this behavior skills training. Furthermore, in situ, role playing training was found to enhance the safety skill development of both the educational and behavior skills training

Drama Scripts Farewell to Alex
Words: 732 Length: 2 Document Type: Term Paper

He left her in her pain. I wanted to be there for her. She wouldn't let me. (Sits down next to SILENT GIRL) SILENT GIRL (Smiles, shakes her head, sighs a little, looks at MARK) MARK (Smiling amidst the tears): I remember the trip. I was glad she came; I finally found the courage to tell her. (Turns to SILENT GIRL) I took her for a walk near the field of

Drama and Reading Under Development
Words: 797 Length: 3 Document Type: Term Paper

According to Flynn (2004), rehearsals and performances of CBRT scripts can help increase students' abilities to read the text fluently. "Fluent readers read aloud smoothly and with expression. They recognize words and understand them at the same time. Reading educators emphasize the importance of fluency -- the ability to read a text accurately and with the appropriate speed. Because there is a close relationship between fluency and comprehension, fluent readers

Drama the Family Drama All
Words: 385 Length: 1 Document Type: Term Paper

Still, the thwarted desires of Emily have more of a sense of inevitability, and thus seem less tragic than the willed and possibly preventable actions of the heroines of the "Doll's House" and "Trifles." However, perhaps the least functional and most distorted family is the family without a father at the helm at all, that of "The Glass Menagerie," where Tom functions as the breadwinner and quasi-husband to this mother

Drama Death of a Salesman -- Comparison
Words: 740 Length: 2 Document Type: Essay

Drama Death of a Salesman -- comparison between the play and a 1985 TV rendering of the play, starring Dustin Hoffman The tragedy of Willie Loman in the play by Arthur Miller seems like a man who wants to be great, yet falls to a tragic and small end. However, the televised version of the play makes Willie seem like a little or 'low' man throughout. Thus, although the Arthur Miller 1950's

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now