Overview
In the 6th century BCE, a Greek playwright functioned not only as an artist, but as a cultural historian. Through their tragedies, they defined factual history for the masses, drafting a commonly accepted—right or wrong—record of Greek society.
The tragedies of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides—along with the epic poetry of Homer—were frequently grounded in factual events. Real-life kings and wars mingled easily with gods and mythological creatures, creating a Greek culture and heritage that was part history and part fantasy.
But tragedies rarely dealt with current events. That was the domain of the comedy. The popular comedies of Aristophanes would satirize public officials and even other playwrights to great acclaim. The ancient Greek tradition of comedic social satire can be found in the works of influential playwrights such as William Shakespeare (1564-1616) or Samuel Beckett (1906-1989).
Today, it is common for a playwright to address contemporary issues through drama as well as comedy, either directly, or through metaphor.
