JM1

Identify some of the similarities and differences between masks in Indian genres of performance and those used in ancient Greece and Rome.

(YOU NEED SOME REFERENCES TO SOURCES THROUGHOUT)

Throughout history masks have been very important in many cultures performances. We can see and compare the few relationships between Greco-Roman masks and Indian masks. (THIS FIRST PARAGRAPH DOES NOT DO MUCH FOR YOU. YOU MIGHT THINK OF A DIFFERENT WAY TO PHRASE WHAT YOU HAVE FOUND IN THE FOLLOWING ANSWERS THAT COULD MAKE THIS PARAGRAPH MORE RELEVANT.)

Ancient Greece and Rome show us exactly how long ago masks were used in religious dedications. (I ALMOST WISH YOU COULD CITE SOME REFERENCE FOR THIS PREVIOUS STATEMENT, SUCH AS "AS LONG AGO AS X CENTURY BC....) The masks from Greece and Rome are hard to find information about because the preservation techniques are nowhere near what are used today, so it is hard to find detailed information of these masks. In comparison, groups in India still continue to perform and preserve the tradition of the masks. By the little information we have on the Greco-Roman (GRECO-ROMAN IS ACTUALLY A REFERENCE TO A PARTICULAR PERIOD NOT TO GREEK AND ROME, AS YOU MIGHT WELL BE DISCUSSING) masks we can see some similarities between Greco-Roman and Indian masks. In both cultures one of the largest similarities is the honor of religious figures. In Greek plays they honored the god Dionysus, while in India many groups depict the Gods and the conflict of good and evil. Another similarity between Greek and Indian performances is the Greeks would usually only perform once a year at a festival honoring Dionysus. The Ramlila in India come together to perform once a year as well at a festival to honor the defeat of Ravana by Rama. Also, from what we can conclude from the little findings from Greco-Roman masks and Indian masks is they are both similarly made out of organic material of mud, and cloth. We can see that although there is a long span in history, people all around the world, from different cultures use masks in very similar ways and continue to do so in everyday practice.

Word Count: 258