How the Greek Gods Propelled Fate in Theatre

Mikey Kim

THEA-328W

How the Greek Gods Propelled Fate in Theatre

The Greeks were one of the most powerful and successful cultures in the ancient times. Yet even they were subject to rule under their gods and goddesses. They believed that the gods were very powerful deities who could influence and shape their lives. Thus, the Greek gods and goddesses were central to the way of life of the Ancient Greeks. Who were these gods and where did they come from? How did they shape the way Greeks went about their lives and more specifically theatre? In this paper, I will explore how the gods’ influences and fate were seen throughout Greek theatre supporting the idea that the gods were a constant force in literature and in the peoples’ daily lives. I will support this idea by looking at three texts of the time: Oedipus the King by Sophocles, Orestes by Euripides, and The Iliad by Homer.

Greek theatre itself emerged as a result of the Olympian god Dionysus. Dionysus was the god of wine and fertility, and the cult of Dionysus would celebrate the god through religious rituals which resulted in “much singing, drinking, and dancing in honor of their god.” (Fonseca) These performances were put on by choruses twice a year and eventually in the sixth century BC, a man by the name of Thespis decided to add the role of a person who recited dialogue rather than simply having a chorus sing. These performances evolved over time to create three types of plays: tragedies, satyr plays, and comedies. All of these were performed in honor of their god Dionysus along with other rituals. (Fonseca)

Dionysus was just one of many different gods. The Greek gods formally came about during the era of Homer when he wrote The Iliad and The Odyssey during the 8th century BC. It is a bit unclear as to the actual creation myths surrounding the gods as there are several versions of the myth. The most accurate depiction and compilation of these myths can be seen in the poem Theogony by Hesiod. In this poem, Hesiod describes the origins and relationships amongst the gods. (”Greek Gods”)

In short, the god Chaos was the originator of all life. He created the three gods Gaea, Tartarus, and Eros. Chaos and Gaea would come together to make the night, mountains, the seas, Uranus (the god of heavens), and the first set of gods to rule the earth known as Titans. These gods in turn created the next generation of gods which included Zeus, Hades, Poseidon, and Aphrodite. Zeus eventually turned on his father, Cronus, and the Titans and waged a war. Upon defeating the Titans, Zeus took over the skies, Poseidon claimed the seas, and Hades was master of the underworld. (”Greek Gods”)

The gods themselves were a vital part of everyday life for the human inhabitants of Ancient Greece. The humans were constantly in search of ways to please