How Are the Origins of Theatre in Athens Tied to Religion and Politics?

Athenian theatre most likely evolved from festivals celebrating the cult of Dionysus, who was the Greek god of fertility and wine.This means that theatre in Athens evolved from religion, because celebrating the gods was an important part of Athenian worship and religion. Many activities in Athens, such as the Olympics and, of course, theatre, evolved from worshiping the gods. Religion was a big part of Athenian culture, and the Greek gods such as Aphrodite, Hera, and Poseidon were worshiped often for their power and, well, godliness. It is because theatre in Athens evolved from a festival celebrating the gods that it ties in with religion.

Theatre in Athens also has to do with politics because only the literate, i.e., higher authority and more wealthy people could read and understand the plays. this is a statement that questions the democracy of Athens. if the rich were getting better education than the poor, than was the country really a democracy?

Web Citations:
1. "Greek Theater - Crystalinks." Crystalinks Metaphysical and Science Website. Web. 18 Feb. 2010. .
2. "List of Greek mythological figures -." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Web. 18 Feb. 2010. .
3. "Greek Theater Performance." Welcome to Reem Creations. Web. 18 Feb. 2010. . 
4. Image: http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/3788937/2/istockphoto_3788937-theatre-masks.jpg