Essay about Greek Tragedy Exemplified in Shakespeares...

Greek Tragedy Exemplified in Shakespeares Hamlet For several thousands of years, drama has existed among mankind. The ancient Greeks are accredited with the creation of drama, which began as simple religious rituals and eventually evolved into the more complex forms of tragedies and comedies. The first rules of drama, not surprisingly, were also written by a Greek--the famous philosopher and intellectual, Aristotle. Aristotle took note of the what qualities created a successful dramatic piece by observing a plethora of plays written by different Greek dramatists. As a result of what he observed, Aristotle compiled a set of guidelines to define the perfect tragedy. So influential, thorough, and well crafted were his writings that†¦show more content†¦All of the characters of the play need to act true to life and to act in a general manner. The actions of the characters determine the outcome of the play, so each character should act in a particular way to ensure smoothness in the unraveling of the plot. Skillful word handling is also very important to the quality of the play. The arrangement of words into a given meter and the choice of words used greatly effects the interest of the play. Through the diction of the play, the playwright shows his true ability to actually create poetry or write in prose. Song is another medium that can be used in the place of regular verse or prose, but the use of diction in song is equally important as it is in regular dialogue. Physical presentation of the play, while appealing to the eye, is the least of all the factors of a play. The scenery and costumes of the actors do add interest to the play but are not actually required, as the given tragedy can be performed just as successfully without it. As stated before, spectacle merely adds a superficial touch to the play, as the poet himself may or may not have any bearing over its handling. A good example of the use of the guidelines of Aristotle in more recent times is manifested in the writings of William Shakespeare. The tragedies of Shakespeare are always well thought out, and contain skillfully crafted plots. Each tragedy contains aShow MoreRelated Beckett, Brecht and Endgame Essay2233 Words   |  9 Pagesprologue by himself (Beckett 1-2). Becketts indirect use of a prologue reflects a theatrical introduction convention which began in early Greek drama. The prologue sets the story within the story-the play within the play. The prologue presents the audience with a situation to be critically observed, as exemplified in the opening lines of Shakespeares political commentary, The Life of King Henry the Fifth ; the chorus speaks:    Admit me Chorus to this history, Who, Prologue-likeRead More The tragic in Antony and Cleopatra Essay3706 Words   |  15 Pagesgipsys lust. Antony and Cleopatra seems to have a special place in Shakespeares works because it is at a crossroad between two types of play. It clearly belongs to what are generally called the Roman plays, along with Coriolanus and Julius Caesar. But it is also considered a tragedy. The importance of history in the play cannot be denied, especially where it is compared to Shakespeares great tragedies such as Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet. But one might wonder what is specifically tragicRead MoreThe Lasting Influences of the Classical World on Other Cultures Across Time in Comedic Texts2727 Words   |  11 PagesFrogs. Shakespeare was the next great dramatist, and arguably the great dramatist, and he has evolved Aristophanes’ ideas and methods and developed them to greater extent. These can be seen in works such as A Midsummer Night’s Dream, King Lear and Hamlet, but are present in the large majority of his works. And with the invention of cinema and eventually television, drama dive rsified so drastically that the different forms of drama vary an astonishing amount. But even within modern comedies, such asRead Moreâ€Å"the Spirit of Renaissance and Elizabethan Era†5448 Words   |  22 Pageslandowners lost their hegemony over the lower classes, as opportunities for growth and enrichment beckoned from the swelling urban centers. In Italy, for example, educated citizens rediscovered the grace and power of their classical, pagan traditions. Greek and Roman mythologies and philosophies served as the inspirational material for a new wave of artistic creation. Intellectuals adopted a line of thought known as â€Å"humanism,† in which mankind was believed capable of earthly perfection beyond what had