dividing and defining the people in Athens, for example the secondary role of women .
in society. .
There was an exclusion of women in Athenian theatre, and in overall society. .
N. Loraux explained how in Athens "a woman was allowed no accomplishments .
beyond an exemplary existence, quietly as a wife and mother alongside a man who .
lived the life of a citizen". Woman were therefore seen as second class citizens, they .
had no rights and weren't even allowed into the theatres unless pregnant - when men .
considered them to be fulfilling their purpose in life. The similarities between how the .
women were treated in theatres also reflected the way they were treated in general .
society. In Athens, they were not allowed to attend meeting in the political assembly .
or serve as council members, magistrates or generals, this has been stressed by S. .
Blundell. She argued that "Men in the democratic state were defined by their active .
involvement in political life, and women were defined by their exclusion from that .
sphere". This view can also be seen in their involvement of the theatre, and the Greek .
plays that used to be performed. Medea, for example, is a Greek tragedy that .
describes the wiles of a woman, her fight against her husband, and then her eventual .
downfall as she kills her children. The play examines many different views on women .
of this period, but it would generally give the male audience a warning about women. .
The reactions of such plays were meant to reflect the identity and beliefs of femininity .
according to men. What they seemed to belief was, that not only are women .
unimportant to the social day to day activities of society, but that all negative aspects .
of society were the actions of femininity.
Not only was the role of the Athenian theatre as a social institution to reinforce .
class and gender divisions, it was also responsible for reinforcing the importance of .
words and speech in the Athenian community.