, Research Paper
Of the many types of entertainment and past times we have today, theatre is still one
of the most loved. For this we have to thank the very earliest forms of ancient Greek
and Roman theatre. These ancient time plays were staged often in honor of a god and
have paved the way for theatre as we know today. A particular aspect that has had a
remarkable effect on the way theatre has evolved is the architecture of ancient
theatres. The architecture of ancient Greek and Roman theatres have had a
remarkable effect on future theatre designs including the architecture of the great
Elizabethan theatres.
The Elizabethan time period in England was ever so popular and well accepted that
specialised theatres were having to be built to cope with the large audiences. Before
this plays were being held in grape cellars and old farm houses, and so were not able
to provide a large enough venue or provide the larger than life atmosphere play
houses needed. By the time Elizabethan theatre was in the British mainstream the
plays were being held in two types of theatre, the public and private.
The public Elizabethan theatres were much larger than the private ones and were the
preferred theatre of Shakespeare and other great playwrites to stage a production.
The first such theatre was built by James Burbage in 1576 and was called simply the
theatre. Soon after other public theatres were built, including Shakespeare?s own The
Globe which was built in 1599. They could appear round, square or many sided and
where built surrounding a central courtyard. Performances were only during daylight
because there was no artificial lighting, even though many plays had night scenes. In
most theatres it consisted of three levels of viewing galleries and stood about 10
metres high. As well as being viewer platforms the part of the upper two galleries
that went behind the stage were used as a balcony to give the play vertical action as
well as horizontal. The courtyard, called the pit, measured about 17 metres in
diameter. Those wishing to watch the show from the pit could do so for a minimal
amount of money. People viewing a play in the pit surrounded the stage from three
sides, thus giving the audience a sense of being right in the action. For those that
were willing to pay a bit more there were the galleries with seats. But although these
galleries provided a seat to sit on they also stank of urine and sweat since there were
no toilets and people those days didn?t bath much. These rather large theatres could
hold as much as 5600 people and were generally the choice of theatre for poorer
people, but built around an attractive courtyard with an open roof these theatres were
far from something shabby intended for lower class citizens. Proof that the public
theatre was not a cheap alternative for poorer people is the fact that Shakespeare and
other well known play writers wrote almost all their plays specifically for the public
theatres and often despised performing a play in the smaller rich persons private
theatre.
The Private Elizabethan theatres charged higher admission prices and were designed
to attract upper class citizens. Although these theatres were often owned by royalty
and attracted rather rich people to view plays they quickly went out of fashion and
eventually ceased to excist because Shakespeare wrote all his plays for public
theatres. Because of the unpopularity of these theatres not much is known about their
architecture except that they were small, had little equipment or basic machinery to
assist behind the scenes work and had artificial lighting in the form of petrol lanterns.
In typical Ancient Greek tradition, where grander and bigger was better the
architecture of ancient Greek theatres truly were traditional, in that they were huge
and grand. During the time that drama competitions were beginning to take place in
ancient Greece large ampitheatres were needed to be built in order to keep up with
the massive popularity of such drama competitions. Three major theatres were
constructed, notably the theatre at Delphi, the Attic Theatre and the Theatre of
Dionysus in Athens. The Theatre of Dionysus, built at the foot of the Acropolis in
Athens, could seat 17,000 people and during their heyday, the competitions drew as
many as 30,000 spectators. It was common for these large audiences to be noisy,
lively, emotional and unrestrained. They hissed, applauded, cheered and sometimes
broke out into a riot if they were unhappy with a play. These huge open air theatres
were always built where a steep hill met flat ground so that the tiers of seating could
be on the hill and the stage on the flat. The stage and stage wall were elaborate
structures made of wood and sandstone that provided a large set for actors to move
and dance in. Although scenic sets weren?t created and no props were used to
indicate a particular setting there was one permanent structure on the stage that
represented a temple and served as the door through which actors entered the stage.
There was no curtain and the play was presented as a whole with no act or scene
divisions.
Dionysus the wine god of which Greek tragedy originated to worship was at the
centre of every play around the time of the great tragedy era and so was included in
the architecture of ancient Greek theatres. At every theatre in ancient Greece there
was a statue of Dionysus the god of wine and tragedy at the centre of the stage. It was
common for a temple of Dionysus to be adjoined to the theatre and a procession
would occur from the temple to the stage of the theatre in honor of the god. This god
of Greek tragedy and wine was paid homage to during plays by actors acting out a
human sacrifice at the altar on stage.
The architecture of ancient Roman theatres were typically Italian in that they were
large, elaborately decorated and extremely tasteful to an artistic eye. The theatres of
the Roman world were quite different from those in Greece. They were built on flat
ground, not a hillside, with a large round surrounding wall of masonry that was well
decorated with pictures of gods and battle scenes. The focal point of the Roman
theatre was the high stage, with an elaborately decorated stage wall two stories high.
Seating started at the front of the stage and went back to a standing area were people
could stand and watch for free. It can be concluded from the many paintings on walls
and stage curtains that many plays of the time were based on the adventures of Zeus
and Hercules.
As the popularity of Roman theatre began to rise so did the number of Roman
theatres being built around Italy and the World. Roman theatres had been built all
over Italy, in Spain, France and North Africa. The overly garnished theatres included
a curtain which disappeared into a trough at the front of the stage, vividly painted
inner walls and a amazingly decorated stage wall. Spectators could indulge under the
shade of an awning while eating fruit that was sold at the theatre and if hot enough go
for a shower in perfumed water. The plays witnessed in these truly majestic
playhouses could not be compared with those seen in the simpler less visually
appealing theatres of the ancient Greek kind.
Technology has become one of mans best friends and for all the reasons in the world.
It has affected us in ways that make our life easier, more enjoyable and more
bareable. There isn?t anything on this earth that has remained unaffected by it. And
no exception is the modern theatre as we know it today which has undergone changes
through various technology advances since ancient Greek and Roman times. In
particular the architecture of ancient Greek, Roman and Elizabethan theatres have
paved the way for the modern theatre buildings we have become to enjoy today.
Другие работы по теме:
Reniasance Essay Research Paper The word
Reniasance Essay, Research Paper The word renaissance , meaning rebirth is perfect to describe the renaissance because the renaissance was a period of creativity and rediscovery (Farah and Karls 402). Developments in art, architecture and literature spread from Italy to the rest of Europe as people revisited the past stories of Greek and Roman culture.
Ancient Romans Essay Research Paper Western Civilization
Ancient Romans Essay, Research Paper Western Civilization has been influenced in many different ways. Ancient Romans were a major part of influencing modern western civilization. The ways that they influenced this was by engineering, architecture, literature. Engineering included aqueducts and roads.
Greek Tragedy Essay Research Paper The Greek
Greek Tragedy Essay, Research Paper The Greek Tragedy The tragedy was a large part of people’s lives in ancient Greece. Tragedies became prominent long before Christ was born. A tragedy, or goat-song, usually were seen during festivals in ancient Greek times. Tragedies gradually increased in seriousness until they were given utmost importance.
Mythology Essay Research Paper Greek MythologyMythology is
Mythology Essay, Research Paper Greek Mythology Mythology is a way that the ancient societies explained why things are the way they are and how they came to being. Two ancient societies are infamous for their mythology. These societies are Greece and Rome. Great authors were made be the mythological works they wrote.
Archimedes Of Syracuse Essay Research Paper Archimedes
Archimedes Of Syracuse Essay, Research Paper Archimedes of Syracuse (ca. 287-ca. 212 BC) Greek mathematician who flourished in Sicily. He is generally considered to be the greatest mathematician of ancient times. Most of the facts about his life come from a biography about the Roman soldier Marcellus written by the Roman biographer Plutarch.
Phidias Essay Research Paper Phidias
Phidias Essay, Research Paper Phidias Phidias is often considered one of the greatest ancient Greek sculpturs. As an Anthenian sculptor, he worked primarily in bronze or in gold and ivory,
Astrology Essay Research Paper it was about
Astrology Essay, Research Paper it was about greek gods and they the way they were/suposidly like in roman days.it was about greek gods and they the way they were/suposidly like in roman days.it was about greek gods and they the way they were/suposidly like in roman days.it was about greek gods and they the way they were/suposidly like in roman days.it was about greek gods and they the way they were/suposidly like in roman days.it was about greek gods and they the way they were/suposidly like in roman days.it was about greek gods and they the way they were/suposidly like in roman days.it was about greek gods and they the way they were/suposidly like in roman days.it was about greek gods and they the way they were/suposidly like in roman days.it was about greek gods and they the way they were/suposidly like in roman days.it was about greek gods and they the way they were/suposidly like
Aeneid Essay Research Paper The Greek and
Aeneid Essay, Research Paper The Greek and Roman spirit influenced the book Aeneid in many ways. Virgil made Aeneas’ behavior such that he was fully qualified to be called a Roman hero. Aeneas reflected very few Greek traits. He was very much the “Roman hero.”Greek heroes were very different from Roman heroes.
Greek Art Essay Research Paper Erin LiveseyMay
Greek Art Essay, Research Paper Erin Livesey May 7, 2000 Extra Credit “Ancient Faces: Mummy Portraits From Roman Egypt” a special exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art concentrates on 70 portraits painted in Egypt during the first few centuries of Roman rule. Rome controlled Egypt as it controlled much else, through a policy of calculated multiculturalism.
The GreekMacedonia Issue Macedonia Is Greek
! Essay, Research Paper In 1912, after the Balkan wars, the geographical territory known as Macedonia, in ancient times known as the Greek Kingdom at the northern end of Greece, was divided-up between Bulgaria, Serbia and Greece. The ownership of the territory, or more importantly, the identity of it, has been an important issue ever since.
Greek And Roman Arches And Architecture Essay
, Research Paper Architectural designs changed greatly since the ancient times. Most famous architectures and sculptures today originated from the Greek and Roman civilizations. Moreover,
Greek Geography Essay Research Paper The geography
Greek Geography Essay, Research Paper The geography in Ancient Greece did affect the way the Greeks lived their day-to-day lives. Greek?s geography prevented most kinds of agriculture the opportunity to grow. Also, it forced most of the Greek city-states to develop their own customs and government. Being on the seafront of the Mediterranean Sea gave them many opportunities to make an empire.
Greek Civilization Essay Research Paper The Greek
Greek Civilization Essay, Research Paper The Greek culture had vast effects on the formation of every culture thereafter. Had Greek culture never existed the art styles, philosophies, literature, and governments of most of cultures that followed would have been extremely different. One of the major areas that Greek culture effected was philosophy.
Why Students Study History Essay Research Paper
Why Should Students Study Ancient History? Ancient history is an extremely important aspect of our everyday lives. Everything we do today has a relation to ancient history. From the languages that we speak, to the decisions we
What Is The Greatest Difference Between Greek
And Roman Architecture Essay, Research Paper Greek Architecture Greek architecture has been noted as some of the world s finest buildings known to man kind. Such as the Parthenon, and the temples they built to their Gods, have been studied over for many years. The way these structures were built is fascinating.
History Essay Research Paper 4 discuss the
History Essay, Research Paper 4. discuss the values which helped the Romans build an empire from a city-state.From a city-state to Roman Empire, the values such as individualism and Greek idea helped the Romans build an empire from a city-state. During a city-state period, the Romans were very concerned about maintaining the customs or traditions of their ancestors.
Ancient Roman Art Essay Research Paper Early
Ancient Roman Art Essay, Research Paper Early Roman art reflected previous civilizations, but astime passed, the Romans developed an artistic style completelytheir own. One very unique aspect of the Roman civilization, which setup art, was the use of public baths. At first these public bathsconsisted only of dressing room suites and bathing chambers.
Spirit Of Shakespeare And Elizabethan Times Essay
, Research Paper The Spirit of Shakespeare and the Elizabethan Times During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, English culture was at its greatest. England during the Elizabethan Age saw a rebirth of literature, in large part because of William Shakespeare. Shakespeare?s writings had all the characteristics of Elizabethan life.
Ancient Greek Theatre Essay Research Paper Ancient
Ancient Greek Theatre Essay, Research Paper Ancient Greek Theater Imagine this following scene: You are sitting in a dark, fairly crowded large room. There are hundreds of other people, in hundreds of other seats surrounding you. In front of you, there is a large stage, with people acting out a play. Lights, music, and different sound effects set the mood of the play for you to understand more clearly what is going on.
Roman Vs Greek Gov
’t Essay, Research Paper Ancient Governments: A comparison of ancient Greek democracy and Roman republic Even today, the ideals of government expressed and used by the ancient Greeks and Romans are well known. Although the Greek democracy and the Roman republic have many resemblances they also have many differences.
Ancient Greek And Roman Empires Essay Research
Paper Ancient Greek and Roman similarities. The ancient Greek and Roman civilizations of Europe began to progress toward a more civilized order of society. As there were no previous establishment to base their ideals on, it was understandable that there were some difficulties in their progression as a society.
Builders Pf Great Rome Essay Research Paper
HIS101 Builders of a Beautiful Kingdom The Ancient Roman culture had a direct impact on how we view art, literature, architecture, education and religion. Early Roman civilizations were very sophisticated and idealistic. They build great architectural buildings and performed famous playwrights at these ancient places.
Greek And Roman Influence On Western Civilization
Essay, Research Paper Western civilization is what we call modern society that mainly includes North America and Western Europe. But how did this western way of life come to be? Their are many different
The Roman Empire Essay Research Paper Greek
The Roman Empire Essay, Research Paper Greek culture laid the foundation for the Roman Empire. The Roman people wanted to be like the Greek people. For example the Romans made a sculpture of the Greek goddess Aphrodite. The Romans recognized the Greek art and architecture to be very well done. Since the Romans likes these traits of the Greek they used the Greeks ideas and created there own.
Roman V Greek Civilization Essay Research Paper
Roman vs. Greek Civilization Although both Roman and Greek civilizations shared similarities in the areas of art and literature, their differences were many and prominent. Their contrasting aspects rest mainly upon political systems and engineering progress, but there are also several small discrepancies that distinguish between these two societies.
Greek And Roman Civilization Essay Research Paper
Ancient Greek and Roman civilization have made many lasting contributions to western civilization. Contributions such as law, religion, sports, and trade are present in western civilization because of Greece and Rome.
Women In Ancient Greek Society Essay Research
Paper Women in Ancient Greek Society Homer and Greek society were strongly machista. The Odyssey presents stories in which men were heroes, won wars and governed countries while females were in second plan and didn t play any expressive role in society. Women were always servants of the men throughout the poem; their existence was based on serving the men in the book.
Ancient Greek Theatre Essay Research Paper TheaterStructure
Ancient Greek Theatre Essay, Research Paper TheaterStructure Where did we get the idea of the theatre? From the Greeks. The Greeks were one of the first civilizations to have a theatre. It was built into a steep mountainside, and the shape of it was curved like a semicircle. The stadium faced a stage that only male actors could perform on, because women were thought of as housewives, and not artistic actors.
History Of Theatre Essay Research Paper Greek
History Of Theatre Essay, Research Paper Greek Theater Although theaters developed in many parts of Greece, it was in Athens, where the most dramatic styles the world has known was formed. Ancient Greek theaters were built in natural open air sites on conveniently shaped hills. This allowed a great mass of people to enjoy a show at one time(The Ephesus could hold 56,000 people) Unlike later dramas, which could be endlessly duplicated, Greek manuscripts existed as a single, fragile piece.
The Byzantine Empire Essay Research Paper The
The Byzantine Empire Essay, Research Paper The Byzantine Empire The Byzantine Empire, the survivor of the Roman empire, flourished into the oldest and longest lasting empire in our history. It began with Constantine
The Art Of Ancient Rome Essay Research
Paper The Art of Ancient Rome The Roman sculptures and architectures were greatly influenced by the Greeks and also some effects by the Etruscans. Romans were influenced mostly by Greek art in many ways. It was because the variety of paintings, sculptures, and the different style of early architectures presented in every period of Roman history.
Braveheart Essay Research Paper I have just
Braveheart Essay, Research Paper I have just recently watched the film 1995 film Braveheart directed by and starring Mel Gibson. The main thing that I noticed about the film was not the art or architecture, but the lack there of. In ancient Roman times, there was some kind of Roman architecture almost everywhere.
The Clash Of The Titans Essay Research
Paper The movie “The Clash of the Titans” was very good because it was a fantasy-adventure based on Greek mythology and Greek history. Perseus, the son of Zeus, must face a variety of awesome challenges in pursuit of his destiny. It is a long and episodic movie with fine elements that focuses its story on ancient mythology.