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

There is some controversy as to when the huge masks that are typically related to Greek theater were used. According to Wiles, “the masks of Old Comedy, Aristotle tells us, are necessarily ‘ugly and distorted, while causing no pain to the spectator’” (Wiles 68). However, the Cambridge Guide to World Theater claims that vase paintings of the 5th century show tragic masks as realistic and undistorted (Cambridge Guide 412). The Cambridge Guide goes on to say that from the latter part of the fourth century, “the appearance of tragic masks became more stylized. The mouth opened wider and the forehead was unnaturally raised to make the actor appear taller” (Cambridge Guide 412).

The slave masks of Greek theater were often grotesque due to the fact the slave was considered a non-citizen, as well as inferior. The slaves, in Aristotelian thinking, were considered hot and dry. This was due to the fact that they spent much time outdoors performing tasks for their masters and, as a result, their skin had been dried by the sun. The slave had a reddish complexion and tawny hair, which was also attributed to the time spent in the sun. In the later years of Greek theater, white and brown were common hair colors used for the slaves, although the brown hair still carried a reddish tint (Wiles 165). Due to their Asia Minor origins, slaves of this time are expected to have black hair, however, black hair was reserved for the free man. The slaves were also distinguished from the free men by the distinctive, stylized beard. The beard of the slave was solid and formed a trumpet around the mouth while the beard of the free man was made of real hair (Wiles 153). In later slave masks, the top of the beard overhangs the lips, which could change the expression of the slave depending upon the angle of vision (Wiles 135).

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.

In the ancient theater of the 3rd century B.C., actor’s roles were characterized by a method dubbed “Aristotelian” thinking (Wiles 152). In Aristotelian thinking, the different roles were associated with the elements, such as hot, dry, cold, and wet. “The blood, which carries the breath of life to the heart, is natur

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