Robert Tordoff

Aristophanes: Cavalry (eBook, PDF)

• Format: PDF

Produktbeschreibung

Offering for the first time a student introduction to Aristophanes' most explosive political satire, this volume is an essential guide to the context, themes and later reception of Cavalry. The ancient comedy is a fascinating insight into demagoguery and political rhetoric in classical Athens. These are subjects that resonate with a modern audience more now than ever before.

Originally performed in 424 BCE, Cavalry was the first play Aristophanes directed himself and it was awarded first prize. It targets the Athenian demagogue, Cleon, who had risen to prominence since the death of Pericles and to pre-eminence after an audacious victory over Sparta in 425 BCE. In Cavalry, Aristophanes attacks Cleon's popularity with the masses, but also criticises the democracy itself as guilty of gullibility, self-interest and political shortsightedness. As the play shows, the only hope of escape from the crisis is for Athens to find a leader even more popular Cleon. And who better to be more foul-mouthed, depraved and shameless than a sausage-seller, if only because he turns out in the end to have a good heart and a true love of traditional Athenian values?

Produktdetails

• Verlag: Bloomsbury UK eBooks
• Seitenzahl: 192
• Erscheinungstermin: 28. Dezember 2023
• Englisch
• ISBN-13: 9781350065703
• Artikelnr.: 69184819

Autorenporträt

Robert Tordoff is Associate Professor of Ancient Greek, York University, Toronto, Canada.

Inhaltsangabe

List of Figures Preface A Note on the Spelling of Ancient Greek words in
English A Note on the Play's Title List of Abbreviations 1. Aristophanes
and drama in Classical Athens 2. Aristophanes' Cavalry and Cleon 3.
Cavalry 1-302: Prologue scene and parodos 4. Cavalry 303-610: First agon
and parabasis 5. Cavalry 611-996: Report of off-stage action and second
agon 6. Cavalry 997-1150: Divination contest and 'duet' 7. Cavalry
1151-1315: Competition in public service and second parabasis 8. Cavalry
1316-1408: Closing episodes and exodos 9. Modern reception and performance
Notes Bibliography Further Reading Index