Orestes was originally produced for the Great Dionysia, an annual festival and competition held in honor of the god Dionysus, which carried political and religious significance for Athenian society. Both private and public money funded plays performed at Theater of Dionysus. The theater held 4,000 to 6,000 attendees.

Poets had to apply to present their plays. Three were chosen to produce three tragedies and a satyr play, a short play with elements of both comedy and tragedy, all of which were performed during the daytime. A panel of judges selected a winner. In the case of Orestes, it is not known what plays were produced alongside it or how they placed in the competition.

All performers were male, including those who performed women’s roles. Three actors were assigned to each tragedian, along with a 15-member Chorus (12 in Aeschylus’s time), and a pipe player. The Chorus sang and danced, with all dialogue performed by the Chorus Leader. The satyr plays featured an all-satyr chorus—men dressed as half-human, half-goat—and ended happily. To enable them to be seen from a distance, men performed their roles wearing masks that likely covered their entire heads, which led to a stylized, frontal acting

Don't Miss Out!

Access Study Guide Now