SOURCE: Green, J. R. Introduction to Theatre in Ancient Greek Society, pp. 1-15. London: Routledge, 1994.

In the following essay, Green examines the transition of Greece from an oral society to a combined oral and written one, the social function of the theater in this environment, and factors contributing to the success of drama.

Condamnés à expliquer le mystère de leur vie, les hommes ont inventés le théâtre

Louis Jouvet, Témoignages sur le théâtre

To our eyes and ears Greek tragedies seem complex in both structure and thought, yet the establishment of the genre happened almost unbelievably quickly. According to tradition, Thespis first distinguished an actor from the choral group which lay at the basis of tragedy some time about 534 bc.¹ Aeschylus, who was born only a decade later, began producing tragedies very early in the fifth century and had his first victory in...