Late 5th Century Athens: Aristophanes

This course introduces the literary and cultural life of Athens at the end of the fifth century BCE through Aristophanes' the Frogs, performed in 405 BCE. In this comedy, Aristophanes laments the state of tragedy, the special form of performance and poetry that became a hallmark of his city. Central to the play is a competition in the underworld between Aeschylus and Euripides, and additional context will include the plays mentioned and mocked. Our focus will be on the Greek, comic meter and structure, but we will also discuss how this play comments on stagecraft, performance, the arts, and contemporary life.