Drama and Theatre as Socially Motivated

Over the centuries theatre goers have been enjoying the enter-
tainment they receive.But what is the origin of theatrical
performance? Dramatic literature has its origins in the thea-trical performance and social gatherings of various peoples.
This is a testimonial to the fact that drama and theatre can
be socially motivated. In African traditional societies vari-
ous ceremonies like naming ceremony,burial songs and wrestling
matches take place.

These social gatherings are enacted on stage in some African
and non-African plays.This buttresses the statement that drama
and theatre are socially motivated.In fact social activities
such as the ones enumerated above are at the root of early
drama.Even in Western societies drama started from the moon-
light plays.For instance in Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thom-
as Hardy, the rural setting of Marlott presents a dance party
comparable to wrestling contest in Achebe's Things Fall Apart
In fact among the Greeks they had a comic activity called the phallic performance and serious activity called the dithyramb.
Modern comedy and tragedy originated respectively from above