The Greek Theater Essays - Ancient Greek Theatre, Cult Of Dionysus

The Greek Theater The Greek Theater "The arts of the western world have been largely dominated by the artistic standards established by the Greeks of the classical period" (Spreloosel 86). It is from the Greek word theatron, meaning a place for sitting, that we get our word theater. According to James Butler, "The Greeks were the first people to erect special structures to bring audiences and theatrical performers together" (27). "The theaters were normally located near a populated area at the bottom of or cut out of a carefully selected, sloping hillside overlooking a seascape, a plain, or a city" (Butler 30). "They eventually with few exceptions consisted of three distinct parts: theatron (viewing place) for spectators, orchestra (dancing place) where the chorus and actors performed; and a later addition, a skene (scene building), which provided a scenic backing" (Butler 30). The theatron was the place where the audience sat. At first the spectators sat on the ground, later on wooden bleachers and finally on tiers of stone seats which followed the circular shape of the orchestra and the natural contours of the countryside. The theatron surrounded the orchestra on three sides. Describing the theater of Dionysus, David Taylor writes, " The spectators seats were in a curving area, a little more than a semi-circle and slope down to the center" (Taylor 19). Even though all classes of people attended the theater there were reserved areas for the more prestigious, such as the king. " The audience arranged in rows, looked out across a rounded orchestra" (Kennedy 1102). Because most of the early dramas were religious and required a sacrificial ceremony, a thymele (an altar or sacrificial table) was located in the center of the orchestra. The orchestra was where the chorus and actors performed. Arnott states, " the nucleus of the drama was the chorus" (Arnott 9). David Taylor comments, " The theater actually did start without any separate actors; there was only the chorus" (15). Later actors were added, but the chorus still remained the center of attention. The audience sat at a considerable distance from the orchestra and looked down on the performance. Although the amount of detail perceived was limited, they often were drawn into the play and became characters themselves. " The action has spilled over from the orchestra to the auditorium to embrace the whole community, players and public alike" (Anott 21). The third distinct part of the theater was the skene (scene building). "The earliest scene buildings were very simple wooden structures " (Butler 31). " Originally, the skene was a dressing room; later it is believed to have borne a painted backdrop" (Kennedy 1102). This area was known as the actors place. It was intended to provide a background against which actors could perform. "In Greek theater as we know it, the skene appears as a appendage, adjunct, breaking the perfect circularity of the design" (Arnott 13). Although the origin of the Greek theater is unclear, many historians believe that it developed out of religious ritual and its performances were connected to religious festivals. The performances were used to educate and entertain. "The theater is certainly not the same as it was in ancient Greece - but it has not changed completely" (Taylor 8). This form of art has always had a special appeal for many people. Works Cited Arnott, Peter. The Ancient Greek and Roman Theatre. New York: Random House, 1971. Butler, James H. The Theatre and Drama of Greece and Rome. San Francisco: Chandler, 1972. Kennedy, X.J., and Dama Gidia, eds. Literature: An Introduction To Fiction, Poetry and Drama. New York: Harper Collins, 1995. 1102-1105. Spreloosel, Jackson J. Western Civilization Volume I. St. Paul Mn: West,1994. 86-88. Taylor, David. Acting and the Stage. London: George Allen Unwin, 1978.

An Essay Template - What Are A Agree And Disagree Essay Sample?

An Essay Template - What Are A Agree And Disagree Essay Sample?What is a agree and disagree essay sample? It is a template to guide students to write essays that are straightforward and genuine.For those who are looking for a way to express their thoughts, opinions, and ideas without all the jargon and the technicalities of a formal essay, a agree and disagree essay sample can be very helpful. Many high school and college students are becoming discouraged by the fact that writing essays has become quite difficult because of its technical nature.The essay should reflect the writer's knowledge and understanding but also reflects the thinking of the different people who will read it. The format of the essay should be so simple that anyone can write it.In addition, many people write essays incorrectly because they know very little about how to write an essay. To make sure you achieve a good end, you should seek the help of a professional.There are many different types of templates to cho ose from. You can choose a free template for an essay, or you can pay to get the exact template that you need. Regardless of whether you use a free template or pay for one, it is always helpful to get feedback from people who have used such a template.When you get feedback from people who have actually written it, you will know which parts of it may not make sense to you. Then you can change some parts to make it fit better with your own. A template allows you to work on it on your own, as opposed to having someone else do it for you.If you decide to get a say in the writing process of your own essay, a agree and disagree essay sample can be helpful. This can also serve as a way to gauge how well your friend understands a topic, or how well a friend knows the teacher. The template allows you to view how well a person writes essays and also allows others to view how well you can write your own.When you decide to get a say in the writing process of your own essay, a agree and disagree essay sample can be helpful. This can also serve as a way to gauge how well your friend understands a topic, or how well a friend knows the teacher. The template allows you to work on it on your own, as opposed to having someone else do it for you.