Aristophanes





Aristophanes is the son of Phillipus. He is believed to be an Athenian.("Theatre Database") He lived from 448 BC to 385 BC. Aristophanes is the greatest ancient Greek warrior of comedy("Aristophanes"). Aristophanes was a poet and satirist. He showed every quality in perfection and was equalled only by Shakespeare("Theatre Database").Aristophanes use of wit, rollicking humor, invention, and use of language has let him be the best. He has never been surpassed("Useful Trivia").He is a lover of pleasure and society("Theatre Database").

Aristophanes wrote 54 plays. However, only 11 of them have survived. His plays often combined many different fantasies ("Aristophanes"). These plays have stood the test of time("Aristophanes"). These time withstanding plays have been written from before he was 20 years of age to Aristophanes old age("Aristophanes"). All three of his sons followed in his footsteps and were comic poets.He won a prize for his first comedy in 427 BC("Theatre Database"). His comedies provide the best picture of Athenian life during its most interesting period. They also provide some of the best political and social sattire("Aristophanes").

The play __Acharnians__ was produced in 425 BC. This was one of his earlier plays. He wrote it in his early twenties. __Knights__ was produced in 424 BC. And __Clouds__ was produced the year after. The comedy __Wasps__ satirized Socrates in 422 BC. __Birds__, produced in 414 BC, was a fantasy about a city in the sky. It was produced a few years after __Peace. Lysistrata__ was produced in 411 BC("Aristophanes").

__Thesmophoriazusae__ was also written by him.It is a partly farcical play in which Greek women force their husbands to stop warring. It was written in 411 BC. __Frogs, Ecclesiazusae,__ and __Plutus__ were some of his later plays("Aristophanes").Aristophanes' son staged two of his plays in about 387 BC("Aristophanes").Democrarcy, metaphysics, and romaticism are constant objects of his satire.Aristophanes claimed a license of caricature, buffoonery, and burlesque that has been unequalled("Theatre Database"). media type="youtube" key="M30iK3r1Ynk" height="315" width="420" align="center"

Aristophanes was known as the greediest comedian of his age. However, (according to the video) he was also patriotic and conservative. On the other hand, he sometimes had a corrupt mind. Aristophanes was very flexible in his writing.One example would be his flexibility on religion which is controversial. He is also able to write on a topic with no information to back up his opinion.

"Aristophanes." //World Book//. A. 1. Chicago: Scott Fetzer Company, 2007. Print. ("Aristophanes" ) "Aristophanes." //Compton's//. 2A. 2008. Print. ("Aristophanes")

"Aristophanes." //Useful Trivia//. Useful Trivia.com, 2004. Web. 23 Mar 2012. . ("Useful Trivia")

"Aristophanes." //Theatre Database//. Theatre Database.com, 2002. Web. 23 Mar 2012. . ("Theatre Database")