What Is Greek Drama?

Greek drama, also known as ancient Greek theater, is a theatrical tradition that flourished in ancient Greece from the 6th century BCE. Greek drama has its roots in Athens and it is built around three genres: tragedy, comedy, and satyr play.

Tragedy: This genre of Greek drama presents a serious and important story that typically ends in disaster for the main character. Tragic plays often deal with big themes like love, loss, pride, the abuse of power, and the fraught relationships between men and gods. Prominent Greek tragedians include Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides.

Comedy: In contrast to tragedy, ancient Greek comedy deals with more light-hearted and humorous subjects. The plots of these plays often focused on mocking public figures, social norms, and the gods. Aristophanes is one of the most famous ancient Greek comedy playwrights whose works have stood the test of time.

Satyr Play: This is a form of tragicomedy, featuring choruses of satyrs—mythical half-human, half-goat creatures associated with Dionysus, the god of wine and pleasure. Satyr plays were short, often lewd parodies of myths and tragedies and served as comic relief following a series of tragic plays.

The structure of Greek dramas commonly included a prologue (introduction of the story), a parodos (entry of the chorus), episodes (main action), stasima (choral odes, using a particular meter) and an exodus (conclusion). Performances were held in outdoor theaters called amphitheaters, and the use of masks was a unique feature, helping actors to play multiple roles.