Explain the origins of Greek drama—satyr plays, comedy, and drama—in Dionysian ritual

Question

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Answer 1

1. Greek drama was originally a participatory ritual tied to the cult of Dionysos, in which a chorus of people would address and respond to another chorus or to a leader, such as a priest, perhaps representing (thus “acting the part” of) Dionysos. These dialogues usually occurred in the context of riotous dance and song. These rituals gave rise to one of the three major forms of Greek drama, the satyr play, a farce in which actors disguised themselves as satyrs.
2. Closely related to the satyr plays was comedy, an amusing play designed to make its audience laugh. The word comedy is derived from the komos, a phallic dance, and nothing was sacred to comedy. It freely ridiculed politicians, generals, public figures, the gods, foreigners, and women.
3. Tragedy also has its origins in the Dionysian rites—the name derives from tragoidos, the “goat song” of the half-goat, half-man satyrs. Dionysos was associated with the promise of immortality, and, if tragedy can be said to have a subject, it is death—and the lessons the living can learn from the dead. The original chorus structure of the Dionysian rites survives as an important element in tragedy. Over time, the chorus assumed its classic function as an intermediary between actors and audience.