Aristophanes Essay, Research Paper
Aristophanes
Aristophanes is considered by most scholars to be the foremost Greek playwright and poet of the old “Attic” style of comedy. He was born in 447 BC, in the deme of Cydathenaeum. He was known to be the son of Philippos, and he enjoyed the benefits of an aristocratic life and education. Little is known about the personal life of Aristophanes, but it was known that he served as a councilor early in the fourth century. He sired three sons, Philippos, Araos, and Nikostratos, all of whom became comedic playwrights upon reaching adulthood. He was characterized as a “joker and a lover of jokes” by Plato, and he was depicted as being at ease with the intellectual and social elite of Athens. One account reported that he was seen walking home with Socrates after a gathering debating whether a writer could pen both tragedy and comedy. It was also said that the renowned playwright lost enough hair during his twenties that he could be called bald.
Aristophanes’ career spanned four decades and had the battle-worn, waning power of Greece as its backdrop. He was known to have authored forty-four plays attributed to him, eleven of which are extant. He staged his first comedy in 247, and his last was staged in 386. At the famed annual Dionysia festival held in Athens each March, Aristophanes won six first prize awards, four second prize awards and two last place awards. In a gesture unusual for the times, Aristophanes contracted a producer-director to stage his plays early and late in his career.
Although Aristophanes was awarded an honorific crown of olive leaves for his advisory parabasis in Frogs in 405, his popularity was transitory. He lampooned every institution sacred to the Greeks. No person, no matter how exalted the personage was safe from Aristophanes’ critical eye. From the political leaders, to the Athenian populace, to the Gods themselves, Aristophanes unabashedly attacked pretense at any level. He satirized Socrates and philosophy of the day in Clouds. Aristophanes’ caricature of the venerable thinker remained a lasting perception of Socrates for years to come. It was even asserted by Plato that Clouds played an integral role in the execution of Socrates some years later, as the charges against him read like a summary of the play.
Aristophanes’ penchant for ridicule embroiled him in a four-year battle with the most influential political leader in Athens, Cleon. After being satirized in the play Babylonians at the Dionysian festival in 426, Cleon leveled charges of slander against the playwright for his depiction of magistrates, councillors, and Athenians. Aristophanes responded with another unabashed attack of Cleon and his political career with his play Knights.
Aristophanes was also known for his blatant use of profanity and humor about bodily functions and sex. Athenians at the time were not offended by his coarse dialogue and themes, but staging of many of his plays were not possible until the twentieth century. Athenians’ thick skin may have come from the ancient Greek ritual of cursing and hurling invectives as a means of thwarting evil spirits.
Thematically, Aristophanes dealt with the foibles of the common man. His comedic protagonists were usually common men, with common vices, who had extraordinary ideas that made the impossible possible. The plots were fantastic in origin. He depicted the conflicts between generations, sexes, and classes. He derided the oppressors, and revealed hypocrisy for what it was.
Aristophanes’ practiced “Old Comedy”, which were satires of politics and society. Over the tense political situation of constant warring with the Spartans and the Peloponnesian War, the terse criticism of Old Comedy did not survive and it gave way to comedies of manners. Structurally, the comedies of Aristophanes were noteworthy in that the chorus was reduced to twenty-four members, and spoke directly to the audience in the parabasis. The main conflict of the play was debated by the two main characters in the agon. Plot was introduced, although there was much music and dancing. There was a continuity of structure as it proceeded from prologue to exodus.
Aristophanes’ comedies have endured as classic Greek Theater for many reasons. He originated comedy lampooning a specific political official, a form that has survived over a thousand years until today. He shaped the manner in which the history of his time is recorded. His opinions influence how history measures the leaders and thinkers of ancient Greece. Most of all, however, Aristophanes’ plays hold special relevance to twentieth century audiences, especially Western audiences. Although we love our democracy as the Greeks did, political intrigue has soured idealism for many. Many more can appreciate a playwright that can deal with these ironies while still reminding us how lucky we are to have that right, and how that is a test of how our governments function.
31f
Другие работы по теме:
The Scarlet Letter Review Essay Research Paper 2
The Scarlet Letter Review Essay, Research Paper Adultery, betrayal, promiscuity, subterfuge, and intrigue, all of which would make an excellent coming attraction at the box office and probably make a really good book. Add Puritan ideals and writing styles, making it long, drawn out, tedious, wearisome, sleep inducing, insipidly asinine, and the end result is The Scarlet Letter.
Plato Essay Research Paper In Greek culture
Plato Essay, Research Paper In Greek culture around the time of Plato, the perfect ideal person was considered. Plato?s idea that there was a perfect world of ideas affected this pieces subject and the
Jefferson Essay Research Paper I feel that
Jefferson Essay, Research Paper I feel that I would be considered a Jeffertonian because I think the common man should run the federal government, like Jefferson thought. I think the federal government
Midsummer Night
’s Dream:Analysing Puck Essay, Research Paper Considered one of Shakespeare’s best plays, “A midsummer’s nights Dream” reads more like a very intense dream as it entices you
Untitled Essay Research Paper By April GibbsLysistrata
Untitled Essay, Research Paper By: April Gibbs Lysistrata by Aristophanes I think the story of Lysistrata is both interesting and surprising. I did not expect a story that was written in 411 BC to have much of anything I
Lysistrata Essay Research Paper LysistrataBy AristophanesWe can
Lysistrata Essay, Research Paper Lysistrata By Aristophanes |We can force our husbands to negotiate Peace, Ladies, by exercising steadfast Self Control- By Total Abstinence…….Total Abstinence from SEX!X (Aristophanes,24). A band of women coming together to force peace. Taking on the initiative to get their husbands back home.
Lysistrata Essay Research Paper Lysistrata is a
Lysistrata Essay, Research Paper Lysistrata is a play written in 411 BC by Aristophanes. At that time in Greek history, the city-states were constantly warring with one another. Consequently, the women were left at home. One woman, Lysistrata, was so fed up with the fighting that she called all of the women of Greece to a meeting.
The Pedestrian Essay Research Paper The odd
The Pedestrian Essay, Research Paper The odd one is often confused as the strange one and never considered the right one. For this matter, I enjoyed reading the works of Ray Bradbury in “The Pedestrian.” Leonard Mead, whom was the main character and protagonist in this story, was considered by many as being antisocial.
Jane Eyre Essay Research Paper Jane EyreAfter
Jane Eyre Essay, Research Paper Jane Eyre After reading the novel Jane Eyre, I found that a lot of things that happened to her would have been different if she had been attractive. Obviously her treatment by Mrs. Reed and company would have been improved. She would have been considered delicate, and people would not have abused her.
Aristophanes Views On Love Essay Research Paper
Aristophanes Views on Love In the Symposium, a most interesting view on love and soul mates are provided by one of the characters, Aristophanes. In the speech of Aristophanes, he says that there is basically a type of love that connects people. Aristophanes begins his description of love by telling the tale of how love began.
Phidias Essay Research Paper Phidias
Phidias Essay, Research Paper Phidias Phidias is often considered one of the greatest ancient Greek sculpturs. As an Anthenian sculptor, he worked primarily in bronze or in gold and ivory,
Mali Essay Research Paper Developing a CountryThe
Mali Essay, Research Paper Developing a Country The country of Mali is considered an under developed country. Our group had to think of a proposal that would help a town in Mali stay well off on their own. The
Aristophanes Lysistrata Essay Research Paper A Review
Aristophanes: Lysistrata Essay, Research Paper A Review of Lysistrata Lysistrata, a play written by Aristophanes, was first performed in 411 B.C. It portrays an arousing comedy of a plan to end the war between Athens and Sparta as proposed by an Athenian woman, Lysistrata. To do this, she holds a meeting among the women of Greece in an effort to convince them that men will succumb to peace as a result of sexual frustration.
Letter On Lysistrata Essay Research Paper Letter
Letter On Lysistrata Essay, Research Paper Letter on Lysistrata: A Plea For Equality Dear friend, The first thing that I noticed, which you might notice also, when I started reading Lysistrata was the very informal style of writing. The second thing I noticed was the strong presence of female authority rivaling against the age old male chavinism of most of the early cultures including the Greeks.
Medea Vs Lysistrata Essay Research Paper Medea
Medea Vs. Lysistrata Essay, Research Paper Medea vs. Lysistrata ? Contrasting two strong Greek females Both Medea by Euripides and Lysistrata by Aristophanes illustrate the injustices that women suffered. Each author uses strong-willed characters to protest social situations.
Greek Gods Essay Research Paper The Greek
Greek Gods Essay, Research Paper The Greek Gods Many people would blatantly state that the importance of the gods in Greek society derives from the fact that Gods in any society are usually used to explain phenomenon that people cannot logically comprehend, but in ancient Greece gods were actually entities that took part in the workings of society itself.
Lysistrata Essay Research Paper LysistrataAh the joys
Lysistrata Essay, Research Paper Lysistrata Ah, the joys of living life as a woman in Ancient Greece. Being able to walk down the street holding your head high with pride as men approach you inquiring your philosophical views of life and politics. Lady Marmalaide strumming from an anonymous harp as you stroll down the corridor.
Aristophanes
’ Theory Of Love In The Symposium Essay, Research Paper 2. Aristophanes’ Theory of love: from Plato’s Symposium The love as discussed by the characters in the Symposium is homosexual
Johan Guttenberg Essay Research Paper Johann GutenbergChoosing
Johan Guttenberg Essay, Research Paper Johann Gutenberg Choosing the man of the millennium is a big job. There are so many candidates to be evaluated, for instance, Martin Luther King Jr., Christopher Columbus, and Charlemagne are among the few people to be considered. One other candidate to be considered was Johann Gutenberg.
Social Work Essay Research Paper Social Workers
Social Work Essay, Research Paper Social Workers in the United States have many roles and needs to fill in society. They are seen as the people that nurse the homeless, unemployed, hunger-stricken, and destitute back to life. It is their choice to help those more unfortunate than themselves, and although it is considered a “job”, it is really a way of life.
Mrs Dallaway Essay Research Paper Septimus Smith
Mrs. Dallaway Essay, Research Paper Septimus Smith could be considered as Clarissa s double and or her opposite. He plays a psychotic form of Clarissa the perfect hostess. Septimus problem resembles Clarissa s problems. She is basically an inimical person and he cannot connect to people emotionally either.
Types Of Parents Essay Research Paper Protective
Types Of Parents Essay, Research Paper Protective parents are the easiest category of parents to spot. Most parents in this category illustrate an extreme sense of strictness through the use of several rules and harsh punishments. For instance, Mr. and Mrs. Gallop ground Jennifer from riding in a car because she was ten minutes late without notifying her parents first.
The Accounts Of Eros In The
“Symposium” Essay, Research Paper The Accounts of Eros in the “Symposium” The word love carries with it many, many different interpretations. In modern
Good Vs Evil Essay Research Paper Good
Good Vs Evil Essay, Research Paper Good vs. evil is an important concept. It is a life long struggle inside of you. In life, you are in a constant limbo between good and evil. One day, you might be in a good mood and the other day you might be in an evil, or bad mood. Before history and even in history, good vs. evil has always been a historic struggle.
Reconstruction Essay Research Paper Before the Civil
Reconstruction Essay, Research Paper Before the Civil war most blacks were considered slaves. As slaves they had no personal rights. After the war, a lot of things changed for the blacks. The process, which helped these blacks to gain rights, was called Reconstruction.
A Comparison Of The Status Of Women
In Classical Athens And Early Christianity Essay, Research Paper A Comparison of the Status of Women in Classical Athens and Early Christianity Since the beginning of time the treatment of women has improved
Werewolf Essay Research Paper TOP TEN REASONS
Werewolf Essay, Research Paper TOP TEN REASONS YOU MIGHT BE TURNING INTO A WOLF. #1. Having hairy palms is considered a sure sign of being a werewolf. #2. Rough palms are also considered to be a sign.
Your Late Essay Research Paper Your late
Your Late Essay, Research Paper Your late, what’s your excuse this time? No, no I don’t want to hear it you can tell me later in detention, sound familiar? Well to half the students in my school it does. That was the usual answer that teachers distribute when students are late to class, which is permissible, but what about what about when your late to home room? Well before you answer that let me explain to you what home room is.
The Childhood Essay Research Paper It has
The Childhood Essay, Research Paper It has been noted that people consider their childhood as a nostalgic period. The childhood is one of the three main stages of life: childhood, adolescence, and adult age. Childhood might be the nostalgic period but is it the happiest? In this paper we shall demonstrate that childhood could be considered as the happiest period.
The Great Gatsby By F Scott Fitzgerald
(1896 – 1940) Essay, Research Paper The Great Gatsby is widely considered Fitzgerald’s finest novel. In Tom and Daisy, lie creates two “careless people [who] smash up things and then retreat back into their money …
Poetry Research Paper Essay Research Paper Poetry
Poetry Research Paper Essay, Research Paper Poetry can both broaden and intesify an experience9…0 it can also illuminate, clarify, and deepen an occurence in a way a reader never considered.9…0poetry communicates expereince by appealing to both the thoughts and feelings of its reader.Poetry demands total response from the individual-all the intellect, senses, emotion, and imaginaTION. (CL)
Ancient Greek Theatre Essay Research Paper TheaterStructure
Ancient Greek Theatre Essay, Research Paper TheaterStructure Where did we get the idea of the theatre? From the Greeks. The Greeks were one of the first civilizations to have a theatre. It was built into a steep mountainside, and the shape of it was curved like a semicircle. The stadium faced a stage that only male actors could perform on, because women were thought of as housewives, and not artistic actors.
Comedy And The Power Of The Human
Spirit Essay, Research Paper Paving the way, comedy traditionally deals with the efforts of individuals to survive and create a new and better world ? or at least one that is better than the reality the character find themselves in if only for a short period of time. In this way this genre seems to be a means of dealing with both human suffering and failure.
Theatre Oral History Report Essay Research Paper
Theatre History Oral Report Aristophanes (448?-385 BC), Athenian playwright, considered one of the greatest writers of comedy in literary history. His plays have been produced through the centuries and have remained popular because