Greek Theater Religion

Greek Theater and its associations with religion:
- To understand some of Myth, we have understand what the purpose of theater was. It is one of the major sources of mythology for the Greeks and us today.

Early theater:

- Tradition has it that the first actor was Thespis
- He added a prologue and speeches to the established choral parts of religious ritual
- Early theater had 2 actors and the chorus
- Later, an additional actor was added

- Actors wore masks during performances. These 2 - 3 actors would play all the parts.
- Masks were religious in nature, and the Greeks thought Dyonisis would enter the actor.

- Theater was a communal affair like sports, festivals, and politics (in Athens). - Aristotle believed tragic theater was
- The gods were a favorite subject in the theater - Since there was no religious text for the Greeks, their religion was much more personal and fluid. - Playwrights would take old stories, build on them, and add details. - As we move through Greek and Roman religious history, we can see these changes.

- Since there was no religious text, there was nothing set in stone about the gods, how you should act, proper rites and rituals, or exactly what the gods were like.
- This allowed poets, writers, and playwrights added to the stories of the gods.
- This also allowed them to make commentaries on morality, relationships between the gods and humans, and the will of the gods.

- We will look at The Oresteia, Oedipus the King, and Antigone as examples of how the Greeks would have used plays to make commentaries on these religious and political matters. - Plays, especially in Athens, tied religion and politics together. - These two plays also have political messages
-Plays also had important human elements to them. The protagonist often made an error of judgment that moves the action along. The protagonist could also have a flaw that will lead to the action of the