Greek dramatists

Ancient theatrical authors

Greek dramatists are the playwrights of ancient Greece who created tragedy and comedy as literary forms.

The major tragedians—Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides—wrote plays performed at religious festivals in Athens during the fifth century BCE.

Aristophanes dominated comedy.

Their works established dramatic conventions still used today: dialogue, chorus, dramatic irony, the tragic flaw.

Shakespeare owed much to the Greek dramatists.

Opposites

cultural/national origin

Greek dramatistsTerence

Roman comedic dramatist

literary genre

Greek dramatistsHomer

Ancient Greek epic composer

temporal period

Greek dramatistsArthur Miller

American dramatist, mid-century

Family