Theatre, Permitted Transgression: Investigating theater as a liberating and consolidating rite in society based on Victor Turner's views

Haji Mollaali, Ali

doi:10.22034/rpa.2023.1972646.1040

Theatre, Permitted Transgression: Investigating theater as a liberating and consolidating rite in society based on Victor Turner's views

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Ali Haji Mollaali

Assistant Professor of Theater Department, Faculty of Arts, Soore University, Tehran, Iran

10.22034/rpa.2023.1972646.1040

Abstract

This article assumes that cultural theaters, seen as rituals, form the foundation of a cultural system despite having critical components. Therefore, regulating theaters is unnecessary. With three key characteristics, theaters possess a unique trait known as "permissible violation." Modern theaters serve as pseudo-rituals, allowing society to view, assess, and contemplate its moral, social, and political issues externally in a brief timeframe. For instance, Takht-Hawzis exemplifies severe criticism of hegemonic leaders, yet the cultural system remains stable. The misconception, influenced by Plato, that addressing critical matters in theaters harms Aristotle's perspective refutes society's cultural and political essence. Artistic expression in theaters, even if unintentional, unleashes hidden energies within people, fortifying the cultural foundation of society through catharsis and healing.

Keywords

Theatre

pseudo-ritual

pseudo-threshold

Liminality

Victor Turner

Subjects