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

Masks in the ancient Greece and Rome period are somewhat similar and different to masks in Indian performances. (THIS FIRST PARAGRAPH IS UNNECESSARY. YOU MIGHT HAVE INDICATED SOMETHING ABOUT WHAT YOU WERE GOING TO SET OUT TO PROVE IN THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPHS INSTEAD.)

In the Greek & Roman periods, we only have drawings of masks from this period. (THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT WAYS WE KNOW ABOUT GREEK AND ROMAN MASKS THROUGH VASE PAINTINGS, MOSAIC TILE DECORATIONS DEPICTING THE MASKS AND THEIR USE, ALSO SCULPTURAL OBJECTS BOTH SMALL AND MIDDLE SIZED: NOTE THE POWERPOINT EXAMPLES) In Greece, the mask was the character. The play writes became part of that process and there wasn't any acting done without a mask. In Greece we have pictures of actors contemplating a mask. The actor looks at the mask before putting it on and they consider voice, expression, movement. In short, "To wear a mask is to act."

We also know that plays were performed in the Theatre of Dionysus. The masks were for the audience. The actor's faces were extreme, so the audience could see their faces. (SEE THEIR EXPRESSIONS?) Most masks were full-faced in Greece & Rome, and there were no half-masks until the Comedia in the Renaissance. The masks also had open mouths as to help the audience hear every word clearly. These performances were only once a year, so thousands of people would arrive and watch these plays. Similarly, in Ramlila, this celebratory event only occurs during September and October. Hundreds of thousands of people would attend to honor the defeat of Ravana by Rama. (WHY NOT REFERENCE THE MASKS HERE?)

In Indian mask performances there are many differences from Greek and Roman performances. The main difference is that Indian performance traditions have been preserved and are still used today. Also, there are many plays throughout the year, and each have specific functions and traditions based on the people group. (TOO VAGUE A STATEMENT)

For example, in the Nangyar performances actors learn 9 facial expressions they use while wearing a mask. These 9 expressions are love, valor, grief, humor, wonder, fear, revulsion, anger, and tranquility. This is all stylized to what humans would do. In Greek theatre the acting was stylized to what the gods would do. (WE HAVE VERY LITTLE REFERENCE TO HOW THE GREEKS ACTED) The masks in Indian performance are generally full faced and many of them have attached headdresses. There are also plays were some characters wear masks while others do not. For example in Bhagavad Mela only one mask is used in the play; the mask of Narasimha.

In short, there are definitely more differences than similarities between Greek & Rome masks to Indian masks.

(PLEASE PROVIDE A WORD COUNT AND ALSO CITE YOUR SOURCES)