054 - Old Comedy and Aristophanes

In this episode, we discuss the Lenaia, the intricacies of Athenian Old Comedy, and what is known about the lives and works of the earliest comedic poets, who set the stage for Aristophanes, whose eleven surviving works effectively define the genre today, which include The Acharnians, The Knights, The Clouds, The Wasps, Peace, The Birds, Lysistrata, The Women at the Thesmophoria, The Frogs, The Assembly Women, and Wealth

Primary Sources:
Text/Aristophanes' The Acharnians
Text/Aristophanes' The Knights
Text/Aristophanes' The Clouds
Text/Aristophanes' The Wasps
Text/Aristophanes' Peace
Text/Aristophanes' The Birds

Text/Aristophanes' Lysistrata
Text/Aristophanes' The Women at the Thesmophoria
Text/Aristophanes' The Frogs
Text/Aristophanes' The Assembly Women
Text/Aristophanes' Wealth

Supplementary Resources (Videos, Photos, Other Podcasts)

Photo/Bust of Aristophanes

Video/Greek Comedy, Satyrs, and Aristophanes (Crash Course)

Video/Why is Aristophanes called "The Father of Comedy"? (TED-Ed)

Video/Aristophanes (Overly Sarcastic Productions)

Video/Ancient Comedy (Overly Sarcastic Productions)

 

Video/Ancient Greek Comedy: History, Structure, Aristophanes, Menander (AH Encyclopedia)

Video/Greek Comedy Explained (Millenial Classicist)

 

Recommended Podcast Episodes:
***Ancient Greece Declassified - The Comedy of Democracy

***History of European Theatre - Aristophanes: Comedy, Satire, War

***History of European Theatre - The Clouds: Serious Comedy

***History of European Theatre - The Wasps: Legal Laughter

***History of European Theatre - Lysistrata: Women on Top

***History of Literature - Greek Comedy: Aristophanes

***Literature and History - Aristophanes' The Clouds
***Literature and History - Aristophanes' Lysistrata

***Myths and Legends - Greek Myths: Cloud Cuckoo Land