Although the Greek tragedies were based on legend and
history and the stories were of kings and heroes and their fall, Wilder told the story
of the common man.
That said, each act of Our Town conforms
to the Greek rules of time, place and action. Act one is a day in the life of the town.
The location is a single place (the town), it takes place in 24 hours and a single
story is told. Like a Greek play in a trilogy, it could stand
alone.
Act two is the wedding and again we see a single
story being told and it is told in one day and again one
location.
Act three, the funeral, competes the "trilogy"
and again conforms to the rules.
The Stage Manager acts as
the chorus which in Greek theatre would explain, comment, interact,
etc.
So, although Wilder does not tell a story of heroes
and kings and their fall from power due to pride (hubris), he does conform to the
structure used by the Greeks.
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