If we believe that clothing has to do with covering the body, and costumes with the choice of a particular form of garment for a particular use, then we can say that clothing depends primarily on such physical conditions as climate, health, and textile manufacture, whereas costumes reflect social factors such as religious beliefs, aesthetics, personal status, and the wish to be distinguished from or to emulate our fellows.

   The ancient Greeks and the Chinese believed that we first covered our bodies for some physical reason such as protecting ourselves from the weather elements. Ethnologists and psychologists have invoked psychological reasons: modesty in the case of ancients, and taboo, magical influence and the desire to please for the moderns.

   In early history, costumes must have fulfilled a function beyond that of simple utility, perhaps through some magical significance, investing primitive man with the attributes of other creatures. Ornaments identified the wearer with animals, gods, heroes or other men. This identification remains symbolic in more sophisticated societies. We should bear in mind that the theater has its distant origins in sacred performances, and in all periods children at play have worn disguises, so as to adapt gradually to adult life.

   Costumes helped inspire fear or impose authority. For a chieftain, costumes embodied attributes expressing his power, while a warrior's costume enhanced his physical superiority and suggested he was superhuman. In more recent times, professional or administrative costume has been devised to distinguish the wearer and express personal or delegated authority; this purpose is seen clearly in the judge's robes and the police officer’s uniform. Costume denotes power, and since power is usually equated with wealth, costume came to be an expression of social caste and material prosperity. Military uniform denotes rank and is intended to intimidate to protect the body and to express membership in a group. At the bottom of the scale, there are such compulsory costumes as the convict’s uniform. Finally, costume can possess a religious significance that combines various elements: an actual or symbolic identification with a god, the desire to express this in earthly life, and the desire to enhance the wearer's position of respect.

What is the purpose of the paragraph 1?

Câu hỏi liên quan

• What does the passage mainly discuss?

• According to the article, what does the band Four Square hope to do in the future?

• All of the following are true about the 1970 survey of Antarctica EXCEPT that it______.

ZUNIA12

• What does the author imply about the rate hummingbirds’ wings beat?

• What is the main topic of the passage?

• The word “accelerated” in paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to ______.

• Which of the following properties is NOT mentioned as protected by copyright?

• Which of the following would most likely NOT be reflected in a person's costume, as it is defined in the passage?

• According to the passage,which of the following is a universal rule of etiquette?

• The word "hyperactive" is closest in meaning to _____.

• Which of the following could be considered a cause of the distress signals of trees?

• Which of the following is NOT true about Thanksgiving?

• When did the the Pilgrims make a difficult trip to across the ocean from England?

• According to the text, future post graduates should start working as teachers _______

• All of the following statements are TRUE about visual learners EXCEPT ...............

• A patient can still live a comfortable life even after the removal of ..........

• The phrase "the wee hours" in paragraph 3 probably refers to the period of time _____.

• The phrase ‘suck out’ in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to which of the following?

• What does the author probably mean by using the expression “children interrupt their education to go to school” (lines 2-3) ?

• Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?