There are varying opinions as to who first brought the mask to Greek theater. The Cambridge Guide to World Theater as well as Kenneth Macgowan, author of Golden Ages of the Theater credits the introduction of the mask to Thespis of Icaria, winner of the first tragedy contest (Cambridge Guide 991)(Macgowan 11). The Cambridge Guide goes on to say that Thespis smeared his face with white lead and red cinnabar during his comedic performances in the 6th century B.C., which quickly led to the evolution of the mask. (Cambridge Guide 991) David Wiles, author of The Masks of Menander, accepts the theory of Andrea Perrucci, a theorist of the commedia del’arte, which states that the Athenians

The masks of the ancient Greek theater had many variations and were crafted from several different materials. Masks were worn by all actors on stage and “the materials used were fragile and almost certainly light” (Ley 18) and could have included linen, plaster, and wood. The mask functioned as a neutral face and obliterated all of the idiosyncrasies which distinguish one individual, or actor, from another (Wiles 68). This was especially vital due to the fact that all roles, including female, were played by males. The masks were traditionally crafted to be larger than life so they could be easily seen by the audience in the immense theater. Although masks served the same purpose throughout the years, the appearance of them changed markedly. An interesting comparison can be made between the masks of the early years of the Greek theater, approximately 400 B.C. to 300 B.C., and the masks of the later Greek theater, approximately 300 B.C. to 100 B.C.

invented theatrical masks in the 6th century B.C. in order to speak of the Macedonians without fear (Wiles 127). Perrucci believed the mask could be used as a vehicle for the expression of taboo behavior, empowering the actor to cast off his own individual identity. (Wiles 127) Whether the credit is given to Thespis or to an entire civilization, the mask became an important part of Greek drama from its introduction.

The masks of old men in the Greek theater changed noticeably throughout the years. In the early Aristotelian thinking, “Age was understood as both a drying and a chilling process”, and thus old men were considered cold and dry (Wiles 152). The chilling was believed to lead to graying of the hair, and the drying of the blood made the complexion darker. The masks of the old men from this early period usually showed a raised right brow, in an arch higher than the left brow, which denoted a higher degree of moral deviance. Old men were distinguished from the younger men by the fact that they had a beard. By the time Plautus was writing, 254-184 B.C., the beard had become vestigial, and could scarcely be recognized as such; the beard was simply a grotesque frame for a grinning mouth (Wiles 153). “During this time, the mask of the old man became increasingly grotesque, so that his lips, nose, and brow are scarcely distinguishable from those of a slave” (Wiles 154). The mouths of old men of this later time had acquired a frozen grimace and grotesque b

Some topics in this essay:
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