A common proverb states that “Experience is a comb which nature gives us when we are bald.” In Clouds by Aristophanes, the Chorus of Clouds willingly encourages Strepsiades’ to pursue his inconsiderate and selfish desires with the intention of steering him towards a dead-end. Then, assuming Strepsiades feels cornered in his egocentric workings, he will reflect on the actions that reeled him into the trap he made for himself. This is, at least, the outcome that the Clouds predicted; “so philosophize and cogitate,/ Intellectualize and ruminate./ Twist your thoughts, your mind must bend”.The Clouds encouraged Strepsiades to think through every possible circumstance or tactic that would liberate him of his responsibilities with the creditors.
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Life in itself will always provide humanity experience, but goddesses are supposed to be supernatural beings that can change a mortal’s life. Streipsaides had many instances where he could have been stopped. For instance, during the dispute of the two Arguments the Clouds could have warned Strepsaides of the dangers in the Inferior Argument’s teachings. Even afterwards, with the two creditors or after first noticing Pheddippedes change in character. The Clouds stayed silent through all those events and their silence kept Strepsaides hopeful that his circumstance would change towards his favor. Even though Streipsaides will never be the best student for the Pondetorium, he did learn a few arguments from Socrates, and the Clouds should have seen how easily influenced Strepsaides was. They should have intervened. In the end, the Clouds tried to educate Strepsaides so that he could face his responsibilities. Strepsaides was too old to learn the ways of the Inferior Argument but too self-absorbed to conform to Justice and the teachings of the Superior Argument. He lived with the hope of finding shortcuts to his problems, not realizing there are no shortcuts to take. With the wrong mindset and no consistent guidance, Strepsiades learned that every shortcut he choses ends with a consequence; every bad experience he lived now cannot change his circumstance unless he changes his
Life in itself will always provide humanity experience, but goddesses are supposed to be supernatural beings that can change a mortal’s life. Streipsaides had many instances where he could have been stopped. For instance, during the dispute of the two Arguments the Clouds could have warned Strepsaides of the dangers in the Inferior Argument’s teachings. Even afterwards, with the two creditors or after first noticing Pheddippedes change in character. The Clouds stayed silent through all those events and their silence kept Strepsaides hopeful that his circumstance would change towards his favor. Even though Streipsaides will never be the best student for the Pondetorium, he did learn a few arguments from Socrates, and the Clouds should have seen how easily influenced Strepsaides was. They should have intervened. In the end, the Clouds tried to educate Strepsaides so that he could face his responsibilities. Strepsaides was too old to learn the ways of the Inferior Argument but too self-absorbed to conform to Justice and the teachings of the Superior Argument. He lived with the hope of finding shortcuts to his problems, not realizing there are no shortcuts to take. With the wrong mindset and no consistent guidance, Strepsiades learned that every shortcut he choses ends with a consequence; every bad experience he lived now cannot change his circumstance unless he changes his