Ritual Stereotype and Comic Reversal: Aristophanes' Wasps

Bowie, A. M.

doi:10.1111/j.2041-5370.1987.tb00556.x

Cited by 2 publications

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“…Bowie [54] is a study of Wasps which he views as a reversal of the Athenian rite of passage to adulthood, the ephebeia. 17 Philokleon passes from the adult male with rights and status to the awkward and uncontrollable adolescent of the end of the comedy.…”

Section: Ie Aristophanes and Politicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…18 This approach from ritual as sub-text also strikes me as inconsistent with the overall impression of Aristophanes as creator of brilliant but essentially ephemeral fantasy, more concerned with the joke of the moment than with a large-scale and consistently developed construction. I am aware that several recent studies would take issue with this approach (Reckford [27], Bowie [53,54], Hubbard [20]) and see in Aristophanic comedy a consistent and consciously artistic creation. But I rather prefer the less structured and more natural interpretation of Aristophanes as the comic genius of the moment, and while I do not deny that elements from various Athenian rituals and festivals are present in the comedy (e.g.…”

Section: Ie Aristophanes and Politicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Old Comedy 1982-1991

Storey

1992

Antichthon

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A version of this commentary and bibliography was originally presented at the ‘Greek Drama II’ conference in Christchurch in February 1992. A subtitle could have been ‘What's been done since Sydney’ (site of ‘Greek Drama I’ in 1982), since my topic was to present a survey of the work of the past decade in Old Comedy. In a short period I cannot deal with all plays and topics, but will limit myself to six areas of discussion: (a) general studies, (b) Aristophanes’ early career, (c) Aristophanes and politics, (d) ritual as sub-text, (e) women in comedy, and (f) Eupolis and Kratinos.

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Section: Ie Aristophanes and Politicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Ie Aristophanes and Politicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Old Comedy 1982-1991

Storey

1992

Antichthon

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“…See also esp. Byl (1977), 64f., Bowie (1987), 78-101, Crichton (1993, Slater (1996), Orfanos (1999).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…5. Bowie (1993), 81: 'the agones…follow the normal sequence of the stages of human life, from youth to age: the first surrounds Philocleon with the imagery of youth and the ephebeia, the second that Philokleon goes through another, parallel journey from youth through maturity to old age in the three 'iambic scenes' where he is confronted by the victims of his outrageous behaviour on his way home from the symposion. 6 This article will show how Aristophanes constructs this third lifecycle (counting Bowie's agones and his literal maturation before the play's action begins) before considering its implications for the wider characterization of Philokleon and in particular the final scene.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…: ‘la comédie joue-t-elle constamment, à l'endroit de Bdélycléon et de Philocléon, sur les interférences, voire les inversions, entre le réel et le délire quant à l’âge et au statut des deux protagonistes: jeune / vieux, fils / père, initiateur / initié.’ See also esp. Byl (1977), 64f., Bowie (1987), (1993), 78–101, Crichton (1993), Slater (1996), Orfanos (1999).…”

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THE THIRD LIFECYCLE OF PHILOKLEON IN ARISTOPHANES’ WASPS

Cowan

2022

Ramus

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The mutability of Philokleon's generational identity in Aristophanes’ Wasps is well established. Critics routinely write of his ‘rejuvenation’ in the second half of the play, and it is in the scene with the αὐλητρίϲ (‘aulos-girl’), Dardanis, that the old man most explicitly plays the part of an irresponsible youth waiting for his son (in the role of father) to die. However, inversions and perversions of generational identity pervade the whole play. Even before Philokleon has undergone his liberating transformation at the symposion, the educational roles of father and son are reversed as Bdelykleon schools him in the proper way to behave in polite society. More subtly and extensively, Bowie has shown how the three agones in which Philokleon unsuccessfully engages during the first half of the play correspond to the three stages of an Athenian male citizen's life: ephebeia, maturity in the hoplite phalanx, and old age in the jury. However, critics have not observed that Philokleon goes through another, parallel journey from youth through maturity to old age in the three ‘iambic scenes’ where he is confronted by the victims of his outrageous behaviour on his way home from the symposion. This article will show how Aristophanes constructs this third lifecycle (counting Bowie's agones and his literal maturation before the play's action begins) before considering its implications for the wider characterization of Philokleon and in particular the final scene.

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Ritual Stereotype and Comic Reversal: Aristophanes' Wasps

Cited by 2 publications

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Old Comedy 1982-1991

Old Comedy 1982-1991

THE THIRD LIFECYCLE OF PHILOKLEON IN ARISTOPHANES’ WASPS

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