Aristophanes

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…

However, the idea of longing for your other half in actuality derives from philosopher Aristophanes. The philosopher used this theory to explain why humans looked for one another to complete them and the reasons why we feel incomplete without another. Aristophanes challenges Hesiod’s theory about love being only physical – that you can love someone as long as their exterior is beautiful. However, Aristophanes mocks this idea while telling a group of men at a party the story of the Greek God…

soulmate. Aristophanes and Alcibiades share a common pursuit of wholeness through the physical form. Aristophanes uses a tale of traditional Greek mythology which teaches humans were once whole, but as punishment humans were separated into two beings and given the life purpose of finding the other half. Furthermore, Alcibiades contributes to Aristophanes description of love by telling his own life story of being unable to find his other half and describing himself as enslaved to love.…

Plato and Aristophanes, Four Texts on Socrates 1) Euthyphro pious vs. impious Euthyphro – going against his father for murder Meletus – against socrates for corrupting the youth. Accuses him of being a neologian, makes new gods, denies old ones. Ministration – the provision of assistance, or care Husbandman – person who cultivates land, a farmer Does god say things that are good, or do things become good because god says them? If god is impotent, god doesn't define the rules, he just reads them…

of war. Aristophanes’ Lysistrata is a comedic play during the Peloponnesian War that is ripe with these stereotypes, providing further insight into the timeliness of human sexuality, desire, and the war of the sexes. The traditional role of women and their appetites during this time period was humorous compared to the duties of men. Women enjoyed parties, having their domestic jobs, and were interested in love and wine. Their one means to power was their beauty. In the play, Aristophanes…

In Aristophanes', The Clouds, and Homer's, The Odyssey, both Phidippides and Telemachos are adults age-wise. However, based on the fact that they have not matured yet, they are still considered "children" mentally. Though these two texts differ in genre, they demonstrate a father-son dynamic and how these two characters work on transitioning from childhood to adulthood by stepping out of their fathers' shadows. Over the course of the two texts, the characters transform from weak, dependent men…

A Woman’s Worth As I read Aristophanes’ Lyristrata, I wondered if he wrote this to unveil his true feelings about the Peloponnese war that was taking place. It would be easy to mask his feelings about ending the war behind a comedic satire about women and power. It would take the burden off of him as coming off too soft or not masculine enough because he wanted the ear to end. Lyristata is about the Peloponnese war and the effect it has on both the men and women of Greece. Lyristrata is the…

Woodruff points out that “the paradox of comedy is that it must attract and repel at the same time, if it is to both hold its audience and to arouse their laugher.” I agree with Woodruff’s statement about comedy’s nature, which we can see from Aristophanes’ Birds and Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors. Comedy…

not without its faults. This assignment will be focusing only on the speech of Aristophanes…

vulturine creditors.” (Aristophanes, The Clouds, 144) In this passage, Aristophanes begins to demonstrate the contempt he holds for the new thinkers at this time, the sophists, while also supporting his argument on why they should be disdained. At the time of Aristophanes, philosophy—especially the sophists’ way of thinking was gaining popularity; sophists’ ideology was that all one had to do to be right was convince their opponent, ethics did not need to be used. Aristophanes condemned this…