whats up with the happy and sad masks when it comes to theater?

Question

wheres that come from?

Answer 1

It comes from ancient Greek theatre, when all parts where played by men. The mask were worn because in each play there was always a "cause" and "effect".
The two masks are the symbols for theater. They represent comedy and tragedy - during the golden age, around 500 - 300 BC. They also represent duality.

Greek theater or Greek Drama is a theatrical tradition that flourished in ancient Greece between c. 600 and c. 200 BC. The city state of Athens, the political and military power in Greece during this period, was the epicenter of ancient Greek theatre. Athenian tragedy, comedy, and satyr plays were some of the earliest theatrical forms to emerge in the world. Greek theater and plays have had a lasting impact on Western drama and culture.

Early tradition holds that formal theatre in Athens evolved from festivals related to the cult of Dionysus, the Greek god of fertility and wine. This tradition is probably accurate, since Athenian drama occurred at the Dionysia, an annual festival honoring Dionysus. However, it is impossible to know for sure how fertility rituals developed into tragedy and comedy.

Aristotle's Poetics contain the earliest known theory about the origins of Greek theatre. He says that tragedy evolved from dithyrambs, songs sung in praise of Dionysus at the Dionysia each year. The dithyrambs may have begun as frenzied improvisations but in the 600s BC, the poet Arion is credited with developing the dithyramb into a formalized narrative sung by a chorus.

Then, in the 500s BC, a poet named Thespis is credited with innovating a new style in which a solo actor performed the speeches of the characters in the narrative (using masks to distinguish between the different characters). The actor spoke and acted as if he were the character, and he interacted with the chorus, who acted as narrators and commentators. Thespis is therefore considered the first Greek "actor," and his style of drama became known as tragedy (which means 'goat song', perhaps referring to goats sacrificed to Dionysus before performances, or to goat-skins worn by the performers.

Thespis' new style subsequently became part of the official celebrations of the Dionysian festivals. In 534 BC, annual competitions for the best tragedy were instituted at the City Dionysia in Athens.

In 471 BC, the dramatist Aeschylus innovated a second actor, thus making dialogue between characters possible onstage.

Then, around 468 BC, Sophocles introduced a third actor making more complex dramatic situations possible. Three actors subsequently became the formal convention (the actors could still play more than one character, distinguising between them with masks).

Answer 2

The represent the 2 types of classic theatre. Comedy and Tragedy. Back in the days before TV actors wore similar masks on stage so the people in the cheap seats could tell the mood of the character.

Answer 3

They say the ancient Greeks started it,but,the practice is po rbably older than that.Comedy&Tragedy are only two of the masks the players performed in(everyone was masked)and it continued up until the end of the 18th century.TL

Answer 4

They happy/sad masks helps give people different emotions so they can change their attitudes and emotions in the play. They are also just a symbol of the changing/mixed feelings involved.

Answer 5

They stand for Tragedy & Comedy!
Probably comes from Greek theatre,
where all the players wore masks.

Answer 6

Comedy and Tragedy... the two main "themes" in theater. I think it goes back to the Greek Theater days, but I am not 100% sure

Answer 7

I believe that the masks represent comedy and tragedy.

Answer 8

They represent drama and comedy, the two main types of theater.