The History of European Theatre

The History of European Entertainment

Why is this important?

Entertainment served a huge purpose in European history. It was widely know to many all across the continent. There were varied forms of entertainment that ranged from physical jousting and gladiator shows to fairs and games for all to enjoy. In many parts of Europe, entertainment was used to satisfy the lower class. Anyone could come to be entertained, so it was used by the poorer people as a way of getting food without having to pay for it, and also just celebrating happiness while they were being entertained. All in all, it could be enjoyed by all, and there were many opportunities to go to festivals, or see tournaments, no matter how much money you had.

Entertainment in Ancient Greece

The Greeks realized that there should be a form of entertainment for the common good to all come together and just enjoy. They created the Greek theatre with the ideas of comedy and tragedy, which were used to create drama and pull the viewers in. They also used music and the Olympic Games as forms of entertainment that all could enjoy.

Greek Theatres

The Greeks invented theatres. They were created so that up to 14,000 people could fit in them. For the performances, there were usually no more than three actors onstage, sometimes with a chorus in front of them. The actors were usually only boys or men. They wore masks to help the spectators who were far away identify the distinct characters. Also, the chorus would help by chanting songs and narrating the story.

How Greek Theatre Originated

Greek theatre originally started when there were festivals to honor the god, Dionysus. Drunken men would dress up in goat skins and perform for audiences as a way to welcome this god. The idea eventually turned into theatre as performance became widely known and appreciated.

Layout of Greek Theatres

A Greek theatre was designed to be like what is known as a "theatre in the round" with seats all around the stage so that everyone had a fair chance to see what was going on onstage. They were also created on hillsides to help the people in the far back see.

Comedy and Tragedy

The Greeks performed either comedies or tragedies. These performances also involved a musical element to them.

Comedies

The idea of comedy is said to have been derived from imitation, but there is no known origin. Aristophanes was responsible for most of the important comedies of this time.

Tragedies

Most of the Greek tragedies written are not available today, but the idea and themes still appeal to contemporary audiences. Greeks derived the term "tragedy" from the term "tragos and ode" which means "goat song". They came up with this name because the people who participated in the festivals would dance like goats around sacrificial goats to earn prizes.

Olympic Games

The Olympic Games started in around 776 B.C. and were created in honor of the powerful god, Zeus. These events were held every four years and the tradition still continues today in various parts of the world. There were over 40,000 spectators who came to watch. There were also many events.

Events

The first event in the Olympics was sprinting. The competitors had to sprint across the stadium. They eventually came up with events such as javelin, chariot racing, discus and boxing.

Music

The Greeks used music in many ways in their culture. When there were parties, music was played and performed for many. It was enjoyed by all and eventually started to spread away from Greece.

Women and Children

Women usually enjoyed music where it was private at home. Whether it was through playing an instrument or listening to music while doing chores, they had music everywhere. Children were also interested in music and introduced at a young age. Some would go door to sing songs and receive small-change as well as sweets in return.

Symposium

Symposium was a name for a party that all men went to and drank at. These parties also included background music and singing songs. When the party was over, they would walk around the streets, singing and dancing. This goes to show how important music was in ancient Greece.

Theatre

In the theatre, whether performers were putting on a tragedy, comedy or drama, there was usually a singing chorus to back them up. There could be up to 24 singers in the group.

Entertainment in Ancient Rome

Since Rome was created around violence, most of the entertainment they had was violent as well. This could range from gladiator games to chariot races. But, no matter which way they were entertaining their people, the Romans always carried that burden of hostility from their ancestors and craved for the satisfaction they felt of watching death and violence.

Gladiator Games

Gladiator games were highly popular and attended by all. They were free, so anyone was allowed in, from patricians to plebeians. These games were fights to the death between two people. Some of the people that would become gladiators included prisoners of war, slaves, or volunteers. If a gladiator won, they would be rewarded with fame and riches. This was very important to the people of Rome who wanted to live happy, full lives.

The Colosseum

Many of the gladiator games took place in the Colosseum. The Colosseum was a famous building where various events and forms of entertainment took place. This was an important part of the entertainment in Rome because there were gladiator games here and many other forms of destruction. These could range from Christian persecution to animal fights.

Theatre

The Romans were also interested in theatre, just like the Greeks. Those who felt that the violence was too harsh or cruel for them would go to enjoy the theatre. In Rome, they usually put on comedy productions, or farces. Unlike Greece, Rome also had poetry readings that many would attend.

Entertainment in Medieval Times

The entertainment in the Middle Ages included many fairs or festivals and parties or celebrations. Based on your social status, there were many different ways you could celebrate or enjoy entertainment. This was very important to the people during this time and many forms entertainment were seen every day.

Forms of Entertainment

Medieval entertainment was very important. During this time period, there were many types of feasts, festivals, jousts, tournaments and banquets. There were sports and games, and other forms of animal entertainment seen all around.

Holidays

In the Middle Ages, people were very religious. They let people working in the fields have Sunday off to pray and go to religious services. They were also given around eight religious days throughout the year off. The entertainment came into play when there were holidays such as Christmas and Easter. They also celebrated May Day which was the end of the harvest and plowing.

Types of Entertainers

There were many different types of people who were involved with making entertainment in the Middle Ages. There were Jesters who acted like fools to at the medieval courts, there were mummers who were usually in costumes, going around and playing music while celebrating. There were also traveling musicians, acrobats and jugglers.

Take a Bow...

The entertainment that was in ancient Europe created the world we live in today, from the musical revelations, to the creative ideas behind creating a theatre. We have been influenced through entertainment by these ideas and will continue to affect the entertainment world forever.

The History of European Entertainment

The Staff

When music began to be written down, the notation was recorded as where the pitches went up and down, rather than what the exact pitches individually sounded like. That was developed later. This notation was written with neumes. Eventually, diastematic neumes were created and made so that the pitch directly corresponded with the note indicated on the page.

The Grand Staff and Music

The Western Medieval Times brought in the birth of a life-changing revelation: The development of the staff and written music. While music was popular during other time periods, in Greece and Rome alike, this was a new idea that changed the way we see music in modern times forever.

Phoebe Doscher

Mr. Metz

Western Studies

Class 2

4 December 2014