Comparative Research On The Tibetan Play And Ancient Greek Tragedies

Comparison is a good tool for finding similarities and learning lessons. To explore the future of the Tibetan play, the author compares the Tibetan play with ancient Greek tragedy, another type of religious arts, in this paper.Both the Tibetan play and the ancient Greek tragedy were originally religious rituals. In presentation, however, they are naturally different. As an important embodiment of Tibetan Buddhism, the Tibetan play propagandizes the Karma. It serves as a religious appeasement of miseries in the current life and offers hope in the coming life. People in the Tibetan play are not self-conscious, and their actions cannot defeat the opposite or change the world. In the end, they have to turn to some supernatural power to achieve their ideals.In ancient Greek tragedy, people are separate from the objective world or even an opposite to the objective world. They have strong will and self-consciousness. Greek tragedy emphasizes sudden transition and discovery, and pursues dramatic effect in structure. People can finally realize their ideals by taking actions. In a tragedy, people challenge the opposite with all their might, gradually pushing the conflict to a climax. Both parties may be disappointed or wounded by the outcome, but the conflict is temporarily buffered. This reconciliation is achieved through conflict. To explain the preceding differences, it is necessary to analyze the culture and esthetics of the two peoples.Comparison is also a process of reflection. The study on ancient Greek tragedies provides reference for understanding and developing the Tibetan play. By analyzing the fall of ancient Greek tragedy in dimensions of drama development, social and political impacts, and audience evolution, the author endeavors to point a direction for sustainable development of the Tibetan play.