Greek drama both tragedy and comedy

 

Who are the exponents of Greek drama both tragedy and comedy? What are their tragedies and comedies?

 

Ans. The chief exponents of Greek drama are Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides. They wrote tragedies and Aristophanes was the most successful comedy writer. There were other writers of   tragedy and comedy but hardly could they reach their eminence. In ancient Greece Euripides, Cratius and Aristophanes were considered to be the trio, the most illustrious in comedy.

 

The importance of Dionysus was gradually growing in Athens The tyrants believed in the state central of religion. The great Dionysus referred to the ancient Greek festivals in honour of Dionysus. Later, the playwrights began to write comedies as a profession. The most successful comedies of Aristophanes are "Lysistrata", "The Birds", "The Clouds" and The Frogs.

 

The tragedies of Aeschylus which got prominence are Agamemnon, Theban plays, Oresteia, Choeohonoe or The Libation Bearers, The Umenidis. They were the most successful tragedies.

 

The works of Euripides are Medea, Hippolytus, Trojan Woman, Helen, Orestes, Bacchae, Andromache, Children of Heracles, Hecuba, Suppliants, Electra, Ion Cyclops etc. Sophocles wrote more than one hundred plays and he is especially remembered for his Antigone. Only twenty of hie dramas survive. Aug Oedipus is still now read with great interest.