During the Greek Golden Age, art and philosophy expressed hellenic "weltanschauung", their unique outlook on the world and way of life. Through the works ofartists, playwrights, and philosophers, one can see both sidesof the conflicted systems of the world, such as; good vs. evil,order vs. chaos, stability vs. flux, relativism vs. absolutismand balance and harmony. The Greeks were materialists.They adopted the philosophical doctrine which says thatphysical matter is the only reality in the universe; everythingelse, including thought, feeling, mind and will can beexplained in terms of physical laws. Their materialism wasexpressed in an excessive regard for worldly, beautifulmaterial things and concerns. They used their art to show theglories of humanity and man. The sculptors of the GoldenAge aimed to create graceful, strong and perfectly formedfigures. Their art showed natural positions and thoughtfulexpressions rather than abstract art forms. Their standards oforder and balance became standards for classical art inwestern civilization. The Greeks were proud of their templesand other architecture, made to honor the gods and beautifythe polis (city-state). Their famous architectural styles werethe heavy Doric columns and the slender scrolled Ioniancolumns. The Parthenon, the Greek temple for the goddessAthena, is a impeccable example of symmetry andproportion. The sides of the Parthenon give an opticalillusion of perfect balance on all sides. Their desire forbalance in art and architecture represents the balance of theworld; order and moderation are expressed in the simplicityof lines and shapes. The resulting overall structure workstogether to achieve harmony. In ancient Greece, publicdrama was more than entertainment. It was a form of publiceducation. It dealt with issues of importance to the people,such as; the authority of the leaders, the power of thepeople, questions of justice, morality, wars, peace, the dutiesof the gods, famil...
