The Frogs Flashcards
What is satire + example from frogs?
Satire:
Making well known situations idea or people look silly
Used when leader such as cleon or cleophon are ridiculed and made fun of
What is sitcom humor + example?
Sitcom:
Comedy derived from the predicament people find themselves in.
Dionysus and xanthias in the opening of the play when riding the donkey and sorting out baggage and xanthias and Dionysus opening the inn keepers door to aeacus or the women
When was comedy introduces and why?
Comedy joined the dionisia in 486BC to hold Athenian councillors to account through public scrutiny.
What does Edith hall say about comedy?
‘ Comedy cuts them (politicians) down to size’
What was the exodus and what did it state?
Last part of the play, it is the opposite of the parados and in the frogs it calls for an end to te war, plea for peace and a prayer for Athens safety. Cleophon is called to fight in his own native land suggesting he is not an Athenian
What does Aeschylus write about?
Write about affluent characters.
Battle epics with heroes
Teaches Greeks how to behave well
Fought at the battle of marathon
What did euripedes write about?
- euripedes typically wrote about poorer people fallen on hard times times
-write unfavourably about women - encourages bad behavior
When and where was frogs first performed?
Performed in 405BC at the lenaia a winter festival to Dionysus
What are come key factors of old comedy?
- As in all Athenian theatre actors wore mask with gaping mouths
- Actors wore phalluses and deliberately short costumes to accentuate this
- Key feature of comedy was the parabasis when the chorus leader stepped aside to address the audience
Why is a favourable portrayal of the underworld important for Athens?
31-426BC Athens experiences a plague killing 1/3 of the population and widespread fear of death.
The pelopponiesian war ongoing with heavy casualties at the battle of arginusae.
What does Michael Scott says bout politician and comedy?
‘Comedy keeps politicians honest’ the satire and parabasis created fear within politicians of ridicule.
Who was Pericles?
Leader of Athens during the golden age, he created the theories fund for poor Athenian men to attend the theatre showing that theatre is deemed a civic duty
What does Eric csapo say abut masks?
‘masks are vectors of possession’
Believe that when an actor where’s a mask they and the audience became possessed by Dionysus
What does Michael Scott say about Dionysus?
“Dionysus is the god os betwixt and between”
Mean he can be worshipped in many ways, putting Ona mask, getting drunk places you closer to god. Worship to Dionysus promotes a sense of ecstasy and being outside of yourself
What does Edith hall say about the character of xanthias?
“ Xanthias is the first example of a smart slave in literature”
What was the battle of arginusae and when was it?
406BC
A naval battle against Sparta that Athens the strong naval power won
During the battle 8 generals did not pick up the bodies of th dead and id not give them any funerals rites, 6 of them where excecuted
Any slave who fought where granted their freedom meaning the audience will be made un of newly freed slaves
What is a pun and example from frogs?
Pun: form of word play
Example when Charon refers to “plains of forgetfulness” or the “rope of lethargy”
How long was the peloponniesian war?
431-404 BC
Who was cleisthenes?
A famous gay in man in Athens , he form part of the satirical humor
What is slapstick humor+ example?
Slapstick:
Humor based on behaviour such as falling over or pretend violence.
Aeacus beating boh xanthias and Dionysus to find out which is the god
What is unreal humor+ example?
Surreal:
Humor of Impossible situations.
Dionysus competing with chorus of fronts is surreal. Nonsense word of bre-ke-ke-kex co-ax co-ax. Dionysus a good bartering with a corpse and getting swindled
What is visual humor + example?
Visual:
Humor based on things that simply look funny
Xanthias riding a donkey at the start we do not know know how this would have been done but it was bound to be hunmorous. Chorus of frogs may have had elaborate costumes providing spectacle for the audience.
What is verbal humor + example?
Verbal:
Using words cleverly
Charon ō-op create a sailing atmosphere and is a joke accessible to Athenians as a seafaring nation
Use of money joke, referring to drachmas and obols uses of name such and bonkmeagain to create humor
What is topical humor + example?
Topical:
Humor based on recent events
Charon refuses to take xanthias on his boat as he didn’t fight at arginusae due to an eye infection
What is character humor and how is it used in frogs?
Character:
Comedy driven by the natural qualities of a character has.
Dionysus’ comedic and slightly unaware nature and Xanthais’ humorous and jokey demeanor
What is vulgar humor + example?
Vulgar:
Humor based on sexual references
Chorus of initiates joke about a famous Athenian gay man and his sexual endeavours
What ds Eric Csapo say about comedy?
“Comedy promotes societal elasticity”
Most of the year Athenian abide by the rules however one week a year plays are performed that upend all rules providing dionisiac release
What is scatologial humor + example?
Scatological;
Humor based on bodily emissions
Dionysus soils himself after competing with the chorus of frogs
13 types of humor?
Sitcom Scatological Satire Visual Verbal Topical Vulgar Stereotyping Character Slapstick Surreal Pun Farce
