Masks in Their Old and New Roles

Masks are anything but a recent invention. Ancient theatre was greatly dependent on them. The now famous image of two masks, one joyful and the other sorrowful, used to be the symbol of classical Greek drama, back in the times of playwrights like Sophocles and Euripides. In those times, masks were used to differentiate the good from the evil, the hero from the villain. However, as time went on, masks were used less in dramatic performances. Later, playwrights such as Brecht and Cocteau did their bit to re-introduce the mask. Yet, masks had by now moved away from the world of performances and had begun to make inroads into ordinary life.

Today, masks are taking on an entirely different character. Nowadays, they are used entirely for entertainment. Birthday parties for young children today are incomplete minus the whistles, the party hats, and the many kinds of masks. And even adults are not left far behind with respect to masks of all shapes and sizes. People wear masks at costume parties, particularly around Halloween, and move around pretending to be someone they are not. Masks provide us the opportunity to disguise ourselves for a while. Even though we are aware that we will have to go back to being ourselves the moment the party is over, there is great joy in temporarily being somebody else.

Perhaps that is the reason why Halloween has become one of the most popular events in the calendar year with respect to adults. People today are interested in making an impression at the next Halloween party. As a result, they start planning their gory and gruesome costumes well in advance of the big bash. Costume shops start stocking the outfits from even before that. And which costumes seem to be the most popular? Scary clowns, vampires, and zombies top the list.

Of course, costumes are only one aspect of the Halloween party drama. One cannot forget about the masks. These days, the emphasis is on finding a realistic Halloween mask -- quite a simple task nowadays. This is because the masks of today are created of silicon and similar materials. As a result today's silicon Halloween masks seem a lot less unrealistic. For instance, the zombie Halloween masks that are available these days are definitely more terrifying. The flesh appears real, and the fake blood looks much less fake. Masks have come a long way since their days on the stage. If anything, in their new incarnation, they have gained in popularity.

About the Author

Be a hit at Halloween parties with silicon Halloween masks and zombie Halloween masks. Nothing goes better than a realistic Halloween mask.