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The battle of the Greek tragedies - Melanie Sirof

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TEDEd Animation

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The world of modern theater owes its roots to the tragedians of Ancient Greece. As far back as the 5th Century BCE, actors and playwrights were entertaining the masses with intriguing stories. Melanie Sirof unveils the ancient theatrical innovations that made the way for Broadway.

Though the Greek tragedies revolved around rather violent events, the violence was never seen on stage, why do you think this is? What are the effects of having a messenger tell the characters (and the audience) about the off-stage violence as opposed to showing it?

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TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Melanie Sirof
  • Director Andrew Foerster
  • Sound Designer Devin Polaski
  • Narrator Addison Anderson, George Zaidan

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