We use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) during our scanning and processing workflow to make the content of each page searchable. You can view the automatically generated text below as well as copy and paste individual pieces of text to quote in your own work.
Text recognition is never 100% accurate. Many parts of the scanned page may not be reflected in the OCR text output, including: images, page layout, certain fonts or handwriting.
ON THEATRE AND CINEMA religion separated from art, art separated from politics, etc. — a process which began in Europe with the decline of the Middle Ages — has made us oblivious of the normative significance of the ancient city-state.
Consequently, state and theatrical performances cannot be separated. It was the Athenian State which provided this dramatic entertainment for the whole people. 'The Athenian drama', writes Haigh,1 'was not only an amusement for the people: it was also part of a great religious celebration. Throughout its history it never ceases to be clearly connected with the religion of the State (my italics). It was developed originally out of the songs and hymns in honour of Dionysus, the god of wine. In later times its range was widened, and its tone secularised; but it continued to be performed solely at the festivals of Dionysus.' The audience attending these dramatic performances of tragedies and comedies alike, was a universal audience. All Athenian citizens took part, including women, children,2 and slaves, provided their masters decided to take them with them. By 'citizens' we mean those who had the franchise.3
Haigh has also investigated the prices of admission to the Athenian theatres, a point which throws an interesting light on the dynamic changes which the Athenian democracy underwent. 'Until the close of the fifth century every man had to pay for his place, although the charge was a small one. But the poorer classes began to complain that the expense was too great for them, and that the rich citizens bought up all the seats. Accordingly, a measure was framed directing that every citizen who cared to apply should have the price of the entrance paid to him by the state. The sum given in this way was called 'theoric' money.4 The state grant for this 'theoric' money was not introduced by Pericles, but presumably by the demagogue Cleophon, a successor of Cleon. It was then that the lust for theatrical amusement grew to such an intensity 'as to become a positive vice, and to sap the military energies of the people'.5 The mental and emotional atti
1 Cf. Haigh, The Attic Theatre, Oxford, 1898, p. 4sq.
8 In Book VII, Chapter 1 7, of his Politics, Aristotle makes the following remark from which frequent attendance of children at the theatres may be concluded: 'It should also be illegal for young persons to be present either at iambics or comedies before they are arrived at that age when they are allowed to partake of the pleasures of the table'. {Everyman ed., p. 236).
3 Cf. Aeschylus and Athens. A Study in the social Origins of Drama by George Thomson, London, 1941, p. 347 sq.
4 Haigh, op. cit., p. 369.
5 Haigh, op. cit., p. 380 sq.
27