Aristophanes Myth, Ritual and Comedy [Paperback]

This book examines the plays of the Greek comic writer Aristophanes and attempts to reconstruct the responses of the original audiences.Using anthropological techniques to compare the plays with Greek myths and rituals sharing similar story-patterns or subject matter, this book examines the plays of the Greek comic writer Aristophanes. It attempts to reconstruct the responses of the original audiences.Using anthropological techniques to compare the plays with Greek myths and rituals sharing similar story-patterns or subject matter, this book examines the plays of the Greek comic writer Aristophanes. It attempts to reconstruct the responses of the original audiences.This book examines the plays of the Greek comic writer Aristophanes and attempts to reconstruct the responses of the original audiences by using anthropological techniques to compare the plays with those Greek myths and rituals that share similar story patterns or subject matter. It is the first book to apply this type of analysis systematically to all the comedies, and also differs from earlier studies in that it does not impose a single interpretative structure on the plays. All Greek is translated.1. Introduction; 2. Acharnians; 3. Knights; 4. Wasps; 5. Clouds; 6. Peace; 7. Birds; 8. Lysistrata; 9. Thesmophoriazusae; 10. Frogs; 11. Ecclesiazusae; 12. Plutus; 13. Conclusion. Bowie's book is a refreshing examination of Aristophanes's use of myth and ritual. Martha Habash, Classical Journal ...the reader will find a wealth of information and detail about ancient rites and festivals, and there are not few places where one's reading of an Aristophanic comedy will be enlarged and enlightened by the material that Bowie adduces. Classical Views