“Oedipus”, the well-known play in the Greek/Roman era, reveals just how the people of that time viewed religion, science and image. Religion in that time revolved around the idea that fate is beyond human control and is up to the divine will of the Gods. Oedipus illustrates this idea in the play. Catharsis, derived from the Greeks, is an emotional release and purifying of the soul, and also served as a form of religion in that time. Many Greeks watched theater performances, especially “Oedipus” as a way of releasing emotion and engaging in ritual power and cleansing. This served as a reminder to people even as strong as Oedipus that they cannot control their fate. Science in this era was not as developed as religion, however it is revealed in “Oedipus” in the form of logic. Whenever Oedipus questioned his fate or Jocasta disregarded the prophecies, it was because they were questioning and not accepting. In that era, science was the lack of acceptance-- a “following of logic” rather than divine will which was different and was only hinted at and then shut down completely in the play. Religion basically crushed science in the Greek/Roman era. As for aesthetics, many people at that time had trouble “shaping their identities”, so to have powerful and noble characters in these plays, illustrating loyalty and selflessness—characters who could be looked up and moralistically valued—this helped the audience essentially find themselves.
-Team Waka!
Lillie Moffett, Lauren Wakabayashi. Nicole Lussier, Sooji Hong.
After reading your post, our group found that we had similar ideas about how Greek theatre impacted religion, science, and aesthetics during that time. We believe that Greek religion demanded that people be loyal to the Gods and accept their fate. When audience members went through the process of catharsis, they were, in essence, releasing their inner emotions which increased their devotion to the Gods and shows that they accept their fates just as the characters in the plays did. We saw how there can be a conflict between logical thinking (science) and religion. In the Odyssey, it is possible that Odysseus faced difficulty as a result of the Gods punishing him for disobeying them or disrespecting them; however, logical thinking and the development of scientific studies tells us that Odysseus likely experiences a series of natural phenomena rather than a compilation of punishments. We completely agree with your ideas regarding aesthetics. In Antigone, we see a young woman who stands up for what she feels is right even if it costs her life. She sets a moral example for the people of Greece while simulataneously depicting aspects of human nature. Antigone was noble, and through her completely selfless act, audience members could look inside themselves and see that in human nature there is an innate sense of doing what is just.
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