• 5th-century B.C.E. Athens, dramas were presented during festivals featuring dramatic contests
• Most important festival honored god of wine,
Dionysus

• Dionysus (in Greek
Dionysos –Διόνυσος), the god of wine, represents not only the intoxicating power of wine, but also its social and beneficial influences.
• Viewed as promoter of civilization, a lawgiver, and lover of peace, as well as the patrol deity of agriculture and the theatre.

• Also known as the
Liberator, freeing one from one’s normal self, by madness, ecstasy, or wine.
• Divine mission = create beautiful music on flute and bring end to care and worry

• Satyr:
–noun
1. Classical Mythology. one of a class of woodland deities, attendant on
Bacchus, represented as part human, part horse, and sometimes part goat and noted for riotousness and lasciviousness.
2. a lascivious man; lecher
• Maenad:
–noun
1. Greek Mythology A woman member of the orgiastic cult of Dionysus.
2. A frenzied woman.
[Latin Maenas, Maenad-, from Greek mainas, raving, madwoman, Maenad,
1 from mainesthai, to be mad; see menin Indo-European roots.]

• The cult of Dionysos was at first spread to the people. Not popular w/nobles – god who let followers get drunk and what a “good man” should avoid.
• But when the first tyrants seized power with the help of the masses, they made the cult of
Dionysos a festival of all the city.
• During classical period, festival of Dionysos becomes one of the official celebrations of the city-state.

• Contests held for comedy, tragedy, and the dithyramb, elaborate choral ode sung by a chorus of 50.
• Dithyramb = precursor to the play, which is why the chorus often plays a large role in
Greek theater

• Eventually, leader of chorus separated from group to carry on "conversation" with them in performance.
• Leader became the first actor.
• Aeschylus added second actor, relied on chorus to advance the action
• Sophocles lessened the role of the chorus and added third actor, heightening the drama by allowing three actors to interact simultaneously
• Euripides reduced the importance of the chorus so that they relayed only incidental information in his plays; he relied entirely on his actors to convey the action of the piece.