Back to category: Novels Limited version - please login or register to view the entire paper. “You can only enjoy Aristophanes’ Wasps if you have a goodunderstanding of the Athenian legal system.”How far do you agree with this statement? Aristophanes is a comedy writer, whose surviving plays are dated from 425-388 BCE. The Wasps is his 4th surviving play, which is a satirical comedy, attacking the Athenian jury system and law courts. As a playwright at this time Aristophanes would have been a Greek citizen with high status and good education, but with a lot of money to be able to stage these plays. Aristophanes would have been writing, aiming specifically at his audience. Although anyone in Athens could come to see the plays they would all know about the law system, and the contemporary issues and events. However, many people today watch, and read, Aristophanes’ plays, including The Wasps and still enjoy them. These people realise it was written for a different culture of people, yet they still understand and enjoy he plays, and find humour in them. Aristophanes is a satirical writer. The Encarta World Dictionary defines this as “the use of wit, especially irony, sarcasm, and ridicule... Posted by: John Mayes Limited version - please login or register to view the entire paper. |
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