Aeschylus

High school (ages 12+)
Art & Creativity

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/aeschylus

1. When was Aeschylus born?
2. When did Aeschylus die?
3. Where was Aeschylus born?
4. What is the military service?
5. What did Aeschylus do that made Greek plays more like the shows we watch today?
6. Why is Aeschylus called the "father of tragedy"?

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was Aeschylus born?Circa 525/524 BC
2. When did Aeschylus die?Circa 456/455 BC
3. Where was Aeschylus born?Eleusis, Attica, Greece
4. What is the military service?Fought in the Battle of Marathon and other conflicts against Persia
5. What did Aeschylus do that made Greek plays more like the shows we watch today?He added a second actor so characters could talk to each other, turning the story into a real conversation.
6. Why is Aeschylus called the "father of tragedy"?He turned Greek drama into a story with real characters, not just a chorus, so people could see feelings and choices.

Choral Performance: Ancient Greek plays where a group of singers and dancers (the chorus) were the primary performers.
The Persians: A significant tragedy by Aeschylus that depicts the aftermath of the Persian invasion of Greece.
Oresteia: Aeschylus's only complete surviving trilogy, exploring themes of justice, revenge, and divine law through three interconnected plays.