Thespis (/ˈθɛspɪs/; Greek: Θέσπις; fl. 6th century BC) was an Ancient Greek poet.[1] He was born in the ancient city of Icarius (present-day Dionysos, Greece).[2] According to certain Ancient Greek sources and especially Aristotle, he was the first person ever to appear on stage as an actor playing a character in a play (instead of speaking as themselves). In other sources, he is said to have introduced the first principal actor in addition to the chorus.[3] He is often called the "Inventor of Tragedy".[4][5]
Thespis was a singer of dithyrambs (songs about stories from mythology with choric refrains). He is credited with introducing a new style in which one singer or actor performed the words of individual characters in the stories, distinguishing between the characters with the aid of different masks.
This new style was called tragedy, and Thespis was the most popular exponent of it. Eventually, in 534 BC competitions to find the best tragedy were instituted at the City Dionysia in Athens, and Thespis won the first documented competition. Capitalising on his success, Thespis also invented theatrical touring;[6] he would tour various cities while carrying his costumes, masks and other props in a horse-drawn wagon.
Titles of some plays have been attributed to Thespis. But most modern scholars, following the suggestion of Diogenes Laërtius, consider them to be forgeries, some forged by the philosopher Heraclides Ponticus, others produced rather later, in the Common Era:[7][8]
Contest of Pelias and Phorbas
Hiereis (Priests)
Hemitheoi (Demigods)
Pentheus
Fragments (probably spurious) in A Nauck, Tragicorum graecorum fragmenta (1887).[9]
It is implied that Thespis invented acting in the Western world, and that prior to his performances, no one had ever assumed the resemblance of another person for the purpose of storytelling. In fact, Thespis is the first known actor in written plays. He may thus have had a substantial role in changing the way stories were told and inventing theatre as we know it today.[citation needed] In homage to Thespis, actors in the English-speaking part of the world have been referred to as thespians.
Thespis was the title character in an 1871 comic opera by W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan, the first collaboration between the two men, although the musical score has mostly been lost. The story involves Thespis and his troupe of actors temporarily replacing the gods of Olympus, while the latter come down to earth to "mingle" with humanity. The actors do a bad job of it, and the gods return angrily to resume their rightful roles.[10]
A branch of the National Theatre of Greece expressly instituted in 1939 to tour the country is named "The Wagon of Thespis" (Greek: Άρμα Θέσπιδος, Árma Théspidos) in his honour.[citation needed]
^Diogenes Laertius, Book V, Heraclides, 92:"And Aristoxenus the musician says, that he composed tragedies, and inscribed them with the name of Thespis."
^A Nauck,Tragicorum graecorum fragmenta (1887), page 832: "Thespidis quaecumque feruntur ab impostoribus esse ficta vix est quod moneam, et proditur hoc fraudis genere usus esse Heraclides Ponticus......Heraclidis igitur crediderim esse fr.1-3; nam fr.4 non dubito quin alteri post Christum saeculo debeatur."
thespis, other, uses, disambiguation, greek, Θέσπις, century, ancient, greek, poet, born, ancient, city, icarius, present, dionysos, greece, according, certain, ancient, greek, sources, especially, aristotle, first, person, ever, appear, stage, actor, playing,. For other uses see Thespis disambiguation Thespis ˈ 8 ɛ s p ɪ s Greek 8espis fl 6th century BC was an Ancient Greek poet 1 He was born in the ancient city of Icarius present day Dionysos Greece 2 According to certain Ancient Greek sources and especially Aristotle he was the first person ever to appear on stage as an actor playing a character in a play instead of speaking as themselves In other sources he is said to have introduced the first principal actor in addition to the chorus 3 He is often called the Inventor of Tragedy 4 5 Thespis wagon relief of the Giotto s Belltower in Florence Italy Nino Pisano 1334 1336 Thespis was a singer of dithyrambs songs about stories from mythology with choric refrains He is credited with introducing a new style in which one singer or actor performed the words of individual characters in the stories distinguishing between the characters with the aid of different masks This new style was called tragedy and Thespis was the most popular exponent of it Eventually in 534 BC competitions to find the best tragedy were instituted at the City Dionysia in Athens and Thespis won the first documented competition Capitalising on his success Thespis also invented theatrical touring 6 he would tour various cities while carrying his costumes masks and other props in a horse drawn wagon Contents 1 Alleged works 2 Legacy 3 See also 4 References 5 SourcesAlleged works EditTitles of some plays have been attributed to Thespis But most modern scholars following the suggestion of Diogenes Laertius consider them to be forgeries some forged by the philosopher Heraclides Ponticus others produced rather later in the Common Era 7 8 Contest of Pelias and Phorbas Hiereis Priests Hemitheoi Demigods PentheusFragments probably spurious in A Nauck Tragicorum graecorum fragmenta 1887 9 Legacy EditThis section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed November 2017 Learn how and when to remove this template message It is implied that Thespis invented acting in the Western world and that prior to his performances no one had ever assumed the resemblance of another person for the purpose of storytelling In fact Thespis is the first known actor in written plays He may thus have had a substantial role in changing the way stories were told and inventing theatre as we know it today citation needed In homage to Thespis actors in the English speaking part of the world have been referred to as thespians Thespis was the title character in an 1871 comic opera by W S Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan the first collaboration between the two men although the musical score has mostly been lost The story involves Thespis and his troupe of actors temporarily replacing the gods of Olympus while the latter come down to earth to mingle with humanity The actors do a bad job of it and the gods return angrily to resume their rightful roles 10 A branch of the National Theatre of Greece expressly instituted in 1939 to tour the country is named The Wagon of Thespis Greek Arma 8espidos Arma Thespidos in his honour citation needed See also EditAeschylus Aristophanes Aristotle Dionysia Euripides International Thespian Society Phrynichus Solon SophoclesReferences Edit Thespis Greek poet Encyclopedia Britannica Retrieved 2021 06 29 The Origins of Tragedy www theatredatabase com Retrieved 2021 06 29 Buckham Philip Wentworth Theatre of the Greeks Cambridge J Smith 1827 Thespis Greek poet Encyclopedia Britannica Retrieved 2021 06 29 The Origins of Tragedy www theatredatabase com Retrieved 2021 06 29 Horace Ars Poetica 275 7 Diogenes Laertius Book V Heraclides 92 And Aristoxenus the musician says that he composed tragedies and inscribed them with the name of Thespis A Nauck Tragicorum graecorum fragmenta 1887 page 832 Thespidis quaecumque feruntur ab impostoribus esse ficta vix est quod moneam et proditur hoc fraudis genere usus esse Heraclides Ponticus Heraclidis igitur crediderim esse fr 1 3 nam fr 4 non dubito quin alteri post Christum saeculo debeatur A Nauck Tragicorum graecorum fragmenta 1887 page 832 833 Libretto Thespis or The Gods Grown Old The Gilbert and Sullivan Archive Retrieved 2017 08 18 Sources EditGaster Theodor H Thespis Ritual Myth and Drama in the Ancient Near East Henry Schuman Publishing New York 1950 ISBN 0 87752 188 3 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Thespis amp oldid 1131986405, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
