classic drama
Enduring theatrical work
Classic drama refers to theatrical works of enduring significance and artistic merit, typically from ancient Greece and Rome or later periods that established foundational dramatic conventions.
The term encompasses tragedies by Sophocles and Euripides, comedies by Aristophanes, and works following their formal traditions.
More broadly, classic drama includes any play recognized as part of the theatrical canon: We're studying classic drama this semester—Shakespeare, Molière, Ibsen.
- Ancient GreeceClassical Mediterranean civilization
- Greek chorusMasked performers providing commentary
- heroOne admired for courage
- stageRaised performance platform
- stage directionsInstructions within a script
Neoclassicism · mask · Renaissance · unities · plot · denouement · Euripides · passion · Sophocles · hamartia · Aristotle · hubris · noble birth · dramaturgy · Aeschylus · Hamlet · chorus · divine intervention
classic dramaexperimental theater
Unconventional staged performance art
avant-garde theater · experimental drama · absurdist theater · immersive theater · performance art
classic dramafarce
Absurd, laughable situation
slapstick comedy · burlesque · vaudeville · musical comedy · pantomime