This historiographical study radiographs the theatrical works of Giannis Kampysis. It thoroughly dissects the urban and poetic dramas of the creator, unfolding in detail the individual aspects of the works, embedded in the theatrical and historical connotations of their time.

Simultaneously, through the presentation of the aesthetic, ideological, and cultural journey of the author, it offers a tour of the theater in Greece and Europe at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th. After the relentless reading of the most innovative playwrights in Europe and engagement with the stage, Kampysis wrote his own works.

He delivered pivotal theatrical compositions with unprecedented aesthetic and thematic directions aimed at the dramaturgical, ideological, and cultural renewal of the country. He dialogues with realism and neoromanticism in his works and theory, while simultaneously enriching the content of his dramas with novel themes that promote a modern perception of society and humanity.

His dramas are a landmark in the history of modern Greek theater. He introduces two new genres, urban and poetic drama, in direct conversation with the relevant models of Europe. His urban dramas survey the urban fabric and present Greek society, ranging from the luxurious salons to the popular courtyards of Athens.

On the other hand, his poetic dramas capture the adventure of the modern self, the new identity of the modern person in Europe. The political life of Greece and national identity, as well as Kampysis's philosophical concerns, constantly resonate within the flowing daily lives of his characters.

In his eleven works, six urban and five poetic, he systematically utilizes top playwrights such as Ibsen, Hauptmann, Strindberg, Hofmannsthal, and Maeterlinck.

Zafeiris Nikitas is a PhD holder from the Department of Theater at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.