Final answer:
Augustine was drawn to theater for its ability to facilitate catharsis, offering a reflection of actions and their outcomes, and the emotional connection and understanding gained from it. Despite his religious perspective that placed less significance on earthly matters, theater's educational and spectacle aspects, in line with Aristotle's views, found a place in Augustine's considerations.
Step-by-step explanation:
Augustine, a significant philosopher and theologian, was drawn to the theater because it presented a medium through which the representation of actions and their consequences could be experienced. Following the thoughts of Aristotle, Augustine might have been attracted to the theater for its powerful means of shaping minds through catharsis. By observing a theatrical representation, one could empathize emotionally with the characters, feel an emotional purging, and gain an understanding of moral norms - a process Augustine likely found valuable despite his emphasis on the spiritual realm and Christian doctrine.
The spectacle and educational value of tragedy in theater, as expressed by Aristotle who Augustine would have been familiar with, could also explain Augustine's attraction to the theater. Nonetheless, Augustine's ultimate stance reflected that while he saw the benefit of learning and arts like theater in material life, they were ultimately subordinate to the ultimate significance of spiritual understanding and Christian faith. His views on the nature of time and reality also intertwine with the theater's domain of representing temporal events in a cohesive, understandable narrative, which could have further deepened his appreciation for the arts.