I don't know why the author use the word "opposite" in front of "weeping mask of tragedy".
Back in the earliest days of theater in Ancient Greece, Aristotle highlighted the difference between tragedy and comedy. So until recently countless theater companies have carried as their trademark the opposite weeping mask of tragedy and the smiling mask of comedy.

I don't know why the author use the word "opposite" in front of "weeping mask of tragedy".

It means that now that they clearly express "tragedy" as the weeping mask, and "comedy" as the smiling mask, the characteristic masks make the audience clearly know that this performance is a comedy or a tragedy?

Question

I don't know why the author use the word "opposite" in front of "weeping mask of tragedy".
Back in the earliest days of theater in Ancient Greece, Aristotle highlighted the difference between tragedy and comedy. So until recently countless theater companies have carried as their trademark the opposite weeping mask of tragedy and the smiling mask of comedy.

I don't know why the author use the word "opposite" in front of "weeping mask of tragedy".

It means that now that they clearly express "tragedy" as the weeping mask, and "comedy" as the smiling mask, the characteristic masks make the audience clearly know that this performance is a comedy or a tragedy?

Answer

I agree, it's really badly and confusingly written. :) Dropping the word "opposite" would improve the sentence a lot. Or how about this instead: "So, until recently, countless theater companies carried as their trademark the weeping mask of tragedy alongside its opposite, the smiling mask of comedy."

Answer

The opposite adjective applies to both masks together, not just the mask of tragedy. The weeping mask *and* the smiling mask are 'opposite', in that they 'oppose' each other.

Answers · 3

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