Aeschylus appears as a comical caricature in Aristophanes comedy, "Frogs", in which he is referred to as "The Bacchic King." It is debatable as to whether this description is metaphorical or if it plays off the rumors that Aeschylus enjoyed his drink while writing.
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Aeschylus grew up in Eleusis, the son of an Athenian nobleman. Few facts are known about his life other than those surrounding the more than 90 plays he wrote. He entered the Athenian Great Dionysia in 499 B.C., the first of many times he would submit his dramas in the ancient Greek contest, though he wouldn't win first prize until 484 B.C. In subsequent years, the competition remained tough as he had to compete with the submissions of a rising young playwright named Sophocles. Considered the fo more...
Aeschylus grew up in Eleusis, the son of an Athenian nobleman. Few facts are known about his life other than those surrounding the more than 90 plays he wrote. He entered the Athenian Great Dionysia in 499 B.C., the first of many times he would submit his dramas in the ancient Greek contest, though he wouldn't win first prize until 484 B.C. In subsequent years, the competition remained tough as he had to compete with the submissions of a rising young playwright named Sophocles. Considered the forefather of tragedy, Aeschylus was the first playwright to elevate the medium from "small plots and laughable diction" (according to Aristotle's "Poetics") to what quickly became a profound and respected form. He was the first to introduce a second actor ("The Persians") and greatly increased the creative use of costumes and scenery. His lasting influences were not confined to the dramatic form. His thematic exploration of social and familial conflicts expanded on the conventions of his day, which had traditionally focused more acutely on the struggles of one particular character. Only seven full dramas remain from all that he wrote, including the seminal tetralogy, "Oresteia", and one of his finest tragedies, "Prometheus Bound." less...
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c. 525 B.C. Greece, Balkan Peninsula, Eastern Europe,
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