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bakkhaii:

Deity meme (1/?) - Dionysos [x] - God of Theater, The grapevine and Religious Ecstasy.

The presence of Dionysos is one of unknowing ignorance. He is the god of wine and religious madness yes but there is a stronger lesson he is trying to teach. He is, up most, a teacher of Hubris. The theaters of Greece created in his name were stages in which tragedy and comedy could be played freely, without consequence. Masks during these plays gave actors the ability to create  ekstasis themselves and make the audience become confronted with questions. There is a reason why the best known line in a tragedy is ‘What should I do?’ In this, the theater is the place for questioning society and life as we know it. 

Comedy on the other hand was a satirical piss take of those in high standing.Theater was created the same time as Democracy, and was ultimately kept alive within it’s bounds. The Dionysia was a celebration and competition of playwrights, also translated to teacher in Ancient Greek. As soon as the theater doors were shut, everyone became one equal group. Without the theater, democracy would have died out and so, the Athenians would have died along with it.

Dionysos is the god of wine, of ritual and ecstasy. His madness is one of non-conforming to societal norms. His theater is place of questioning and thought. He is the outsider looking in, the twice born and judge of those who think they are above their station, be it peasant of king. Dance in his revelry, knowing that your humanity is more beautiful than rules and regulations. 

reallifeishorror:

Casts of the faces of soldiers disfigured in world war one, made by sculptor Anna Coleman Ladd, with the intention of making prosthetics and masks.

sartorialadventure:

Venetian Carnival