Theater in Athens played an enormous role in Greek society and culture. The art of drama and acting flourished in ancient Greece mostly between 550 BC and 220 BC. There were generally three different forms of dramatic arts – tragedy, comedy, and satyr. This art was extremely popular in Athens, which was already a major center of culture, science, philosophy, and military power. Athenian theater connects with politics and religion in many ways. First, many people were comfortable with theater and its location, as most Greek ceremonies, whether they were religious or secular, took place outside. Second, every year, Athenians would hold a ceremony dedicated to the Greek god of the grape harvest and wine, Dionysus. During these celebrations, Athenian men would perform to honor the god. This shows a great connection between Greek religion and Athenian dramatic arts. Third, the government chose the many of the actors for each performance. Theatrical performances greatly influenced politics, as many of them made fun of leaders and government officials. Satire is defined as “a literary work holding up human vices and follies to ridicule or scorn” (Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary). In a modern sense, this can be related to Saturday Night Live skits that make fun of elections and political candidates. Just like it does today, satire in the dramatic arts provides people with a way to just escape from the stress of life and view serious matters in a comedic and drawn out fashion. Athenian theater was connected to religion and politics in several ways, and was an integral aspect of Athenian culture.
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