Satyr play
A satyr play is a unique form of ancient Greek theater that blended comedic and risqué elements with tragic themes. Typically performed after a trilogy of tragic dramas, these short plays aimed to lighten the audience’s mood. They featured a chorus of male actors dressed as satyrs—mythological half-goat, half-human creatures known for their playful and lewd behavior. The humor in satyr plays was often crude and sexually suggestive, with the chorus frequently interrupting the main narrative with jokes and antics. Although the earliest satyr plays date back to around 500 BCE, only one complete example, "The Cyclops" by Euripides, survives today. Satyr plays are considered one of the oldest forms of comedic theater, serving as a precursor to traditional Greek comedies that emerged later. By the fourth century BCE, satyr plays began to decline in popularity, but they left a lasting influence on the development of comedic theater in later cultures.
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Satyr play
A satyr play was a form of ancient Greek theater that combined mischievous and often risqué comedic elements with tragic drama. The short plays were performed at the end of a series of theatrical tragedies as a way to lighten the audience's mood. They featured a chorus of men dressed as satyrs, mythological characters who interjected themselves into dramatic tales with crude comments and lewd behavior. Satyr plays are believed to be the oldest known form of comedic theatre; however, they fell out of favor about the fourth century BCE coinciding with the rise of traditional Greek comedy. While the historical evidence suggests they followed a traditional format, only one satyr play has survived into the modern era as an example of the form.
Background
The earliest theatrical dramas were developed by the Athenian Greeks about the sixth century BCE. It is believed they originated from performances of epic poems or as replacements for sacrificial rituals held during religious festivals. The first plays were tragedies, a word derived from the Greek tragōida, or "goat song," a possible reference to sacrificing a goat during festivals honoring Dionysus, the god of wine and revelry. Greek tragedies were usually inspired by mythology and told tales of great kings or heroes whose arrogance or moral failings led to their downfall. Early tragedies featured one actor who interacted with the chorus, a group of twelve to fifteen actors who sang, danced, and commented on the play as it progressed. Later playwrights added more actors to the drama.
During festivals to Dionysus, the Greeks organized theatrical competitions in which playwrights typically presented three tragic dramas in succession. These dramas were sponsored by wealthy citizens and often linked by a common theme. A panel of judges selected the winners, who became famous across ancient Greece. Some of the oldest surviving plays in human history are attributed to Aeschylus, who lived from about 525 to 456 BCE. He is considered the "father of tragedy" and is credited with writing Prometheus Bound and Oresteia. Other major Greek playwrights were Sophocles, who wrote Oedipus Rex, and Euripides, author of Medea.
Overview
In addition to each trilogy of tragic drama, playwrights also presented a satyr play to end the performance on a lighter note. Satyr plays were about half the length of a tragedy and featured a chorus of male actors dressed like half-human, half-goat creatures called satyrs. In Greek mythology, satyrs were mischievous nature spirits and companions of Dionysus who lived for merriment, drunkenness, and lustful behavior. The actors in a satyr chorus wore elaborate goatskin costumes featuring grotesque masks and comically large phallic symbols. The chorus leader represented the mythological father of the satyrs, Silenus, whose wise nature was offset with an ironic, bawdy wit.
The oldest known satyr plays were written about 500 BCE by the poet Pratinas, who also may have been the originator of the format. While only one complete example of the form has survived, descriptions of the plays from other sources suggest they adhered to a common format. Similar to the tragedies they followed, satyr plays began with a well-known mythical tale of a great hero or adventure. As the play progressed, the satyr chorus would interrupt the proceedings with ill-timed jokes and comic hijinks. The humor was off-color, rude, and often sexually suggestive. In the end, despite the best efforts of the drunken satyrs, the tale would continue to its tragic conclusion while the satyrs would move on to find other amusement.
Fragmentary remains of a satyr play by Aeschylus, Prometheus the Fire-Kindler, hint at a parody of his Prometheus Bound, the mythological tale of how humans received fire. In the few known lines of the play, the titan Prometheus descends to Earth to present his gift to humankind only to have the fire stolen by the satyrs, who attempt to kiss and eat it.
The Cyclops by Euripides is the only complete satyr play to have survived from antiquity. It is believed to have been written sometime before 408 BCE and draws on the legend of Greek hero Odysseus from Homer's Odyssey. In his journey home from the Trojan War, Odysseus stops on the island of Sicily, which is home to a race of ferocious, one-eyed giants. When he meets Silenus, Odysseus offers the satyr wine in exchange for food for his hungry crew. Never one to pass up wine, Silenus steals the food from the cyclops Polyphemus and then blames the theft on Odysseus. The angry cyclops traps Odysseus and his men in a cave and begins to eat them. To escape, Odysseus plots with Silenus to get the cyclops drunk, and the trio engage in a drinking party. When Polyphemus catches Silenus trying to steal a drink from his cup, the satyr replies that he did no such thing and that the wine only came up to kiss him because he was so beautiful. Near the play's end, Silenus and the satyrs back out on their promise to help Odysseus blind the cyclops, finding absurd and comic excuses to avoid the deed. Odysseus enlists his men to help, and they eventually escape the cave to continue their journey while the satyrs mock the now-blinded Polyphemus.
Some scholars consider satyr plays the earliest form of Greek comedy, predating more traditional comedies by at least a century. Born from the Greek komoidia, or "party-song," early Greek comedies began to become popular near the end of the fifth century BCE. In this format, public figures, political institutions, and even the audience were teased and ridiculed as subjects of humor. The subjects were more original than satyr plays, and the comic chorus addressed the audience rather than just the lead actor. By the fourth century BCE, satyr plays appear to have disappeared from Greek theater, though evidence suggests the existing plays remained popular for a number of centuries. The satyr play may have inspired theatrical elements in later cultures, such as the Atellan farce following Roman tragedies and the lighthearted, irreverent jigs that followed plays during the time of William Shakespeare.
Bibliography
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