Aeschylus, whose biography will be considered in the review, is considered the creator of the Greek, and therefore pan-European tragedy. What is known about him and his work?
Homeland and relatives of the poet
According to various sources, including Wikipedia, Aeschylus’s biography began in the southeastern part of Central Greece. He was born in the city of Eleusis in 525 BC. He was famous for his ancient customs, which were established by Demeter herself. At least that is the story of the story.
The direction of creativity of Aeschylus was associated with the cult of Eleusinian Demeter. However, Athens became the arena for him. It was in this polis that he became a tragic poet. In the city there was a cult of Dionysus. He is better known as the god of wine, but for the ancient Greeks he personified the "Bacchic" ecstasy. Drinking wine, the Greeks came to the conclusion that the human soul is separate from the body. During celebrations in honor of Dionysus, they performed praises (ecstatic poems). They became the beginning of the tragedy, which is associated with the biography of Aeschylus.
The Greek playwright belonged to an aristocratic family. His brother Kinegir was the hero of the Battle of Marathon. Nephew Philocles is a famous author of the tragedies of his time. The name of Aeschylus was Euphorion, he also created tragedies.
About the biography of Aeschylus is better known for his work.
Periods of creativity
How did the playwright Aeschylus develop? Biography and creativity can be divided into three periods:
In the work of this period there was a struggle between the Attic praises and the Peloponnesian tragedy. Aeschylus's poetic activity began during the reign of Cleisthenes in Athens. At this time, at the festivities of Dionysus, preference was given to the choirs of citizens. Aeschylus had his own style, which was expressed by the gradual introduction of the second actor, the use of the Attic drama and the playful Peloponnesian satiricon in one piece, and the infusion of the Homeric heroic epic into the tragedy.
- Reign on the attic scene.
The period began in 484 BC and lasted fourteen years. At this time, two important battles took place - Salaminskaya and Plateyskaya. Aeschylus was directly involved in both. The fame of the poet even spread to Syracuse. King Hieron founded the city of Etna at the foot of the volcano in 476 BC and invited the poet to the celebration. An example of creativity is the tragedy of the Persians, which he put in Syracuse in 472 BC.
At this time, Aeschylus had to share his fame on the Athenian scene with his student Sophocles. Playwrights began to use three actors in their works. It was in the final period that the poet’s technique in drama began to progress.
Drama Technique
The Greek author began writing when the tragedy was a lyrical choral creation. It consisted of parts of the choir, replicas of the luminaries and one actor who could play one or three roles. Aeschylus first introduced the second actor. This allowed the transfer of dramatic conflict through dialogue.
Towards the end of his life, the poet learned to control several characters. The main actions in recent works began to occur through dialogue.
The plot structure remained simple. The main character finds himself in a difficult situation by the will of the deities. This went on until the denouement. Aeschylus used the choir not as a commentator on what was happening, but as another actor.
Theology of Aeschylus
The author of the tragedies was able to create a deeply thought-out theology. He started from Greek polytheism, gradually coming to the idea of a single supreme god who was devoid of anthropomorphic features.
In the latest works, Zeus appears as an omnipotent deity, which combines universal balance and justice.
Aeschylus, whose brief biography is examined, in his theology created a divine principle that governs the universe, including the realm of human morality. Higher powers punish heroes for their sins and crimes.
According to Aeschylus, wealth does not lead to death per se. However, rich people are often prone to blind delusion, insanity. This leads to sin with self-confidence, which is behind punishment and death. According to the poet, each subsequent generation creates its own sin. So there is a family curse. The punishment that Zeus sends makes the hero suffer. So a person is re-educated. That is, suffering is a positive moral challenge.
Famous tragedies
Aeschylus, whose biography is associated with Athens, created about ninety tragedies. Five works have survived to this day:
- "Persians" - based on the historical plot of the devastating defeat of Xerxes the First.
- “The petitioners” is a mythological story about how fifty sisters Danaid seek refuge from King Pelasgus and receive it.
- "Seven against Thebes" - tells of the siege of Thebes.
- Oresteia is tetralogy.
- “Chained Prometheus” is the most famous work about Prometheus, which was punished by Zeus for giving fire to people.