The Acharnians; The Knights; The Clouds; The Wasps; Peace; The Birds; The Frogs; Lysistrata; The Thesmophoriazusae; The Ecclesiazusae; Plutus
Aristophanes (c. 446 – c. 386 BCE) is the most celebrated comic playwright of ancient Greece, often referred to as the "Father of Comedy." Aristophanes wrote over 40 plays, with 11 surviving in full, providing valuable insights into Athenian life and the sociopolitical issues of his time. His plays have been studied and performed continuously throughout the centuries, influencing the development of comedic genres in Western literature, from Roman comedy to the works of Shakespeare and beyond. In The Clouds, Aristophanes targets the intellectual trends of his day, particularly the Sophists and the philosopher Socrates. The play portrays Socrates as a ridiculous figure who corrupts the youth with absurd ideas, making it one of the earliest and most famous satirical critiques of philosophical thinking. In The Frogs, the god Dionysus descends to the underworld to bring back a great playwright to save Athens. The play is a witty exploration of literary criticism and the role of the poet in society, culminating in a debate between Aeschylus and Euripides about the nature and purpose of drama. Through his sharp critiques of politicians, philosophers, and societal norms, Aristophanes provided a voice of resistance and reflection during a tumultuous period in Athenian history.
