Woman in Greek theatre is something you just dont see. In fact woman were put in the same category as slaves. In this time of the gods, woman were forbid to play their own part in the famous thing we call Greek theatre. Taking the place of these women were testosterone driven men portraying the woman part with their own preconceived idea of how woman really are. This act of men in drag to portray the Woman, is absurd.
In fact, who ever thought a male could act out the part of the female any better than a woman herself. In the essay by Sue-Ellen Case called, Classic Drag, she states that Classical plays may be re-directed with the feminine perspective to mock the fact of men in drag. Then on the other hand, this type of play may not be suitable to be shown to represent and study the practice of theatre.
So does this mean the best way to study theatre is to just accept the fact that society was in fact extremely unjust to woman in this classical period? I feel it was unjust, but we need to continue to study theatre, and stop trying to change or justify how it was in the past. I think the most amazing thing about theatre, is that over time despite how the concept of theatre was in the past the whole spectrum of theatre has changed. We now cast lead roles in theatre with woman.
We are able to study the past, and examine the anti-woman roles and learn from them, and it helps us to learn about that society more. Theatre has been a mirror of the society that takes place at that time. So over these centuries the societies have changes and so have the individuals in them. Now we look at theatre and it is a diverse group of individuals all working together to accomplish something wonderful. Like I said, a direct mirror of society today.