Tag: comedy

Aristophanes’s The Birds: A New City in the Sky

Aristophanes The Birds ("Ornithets") is the only comedy written by Aristophanes whose entire action takes place far from the city of Athens. Consequently, the play makes little mention of the circumstances of the Peloponnesian War, or of contemporary Athenian politics. It won second prize at the Dionysia in 414 BC. It is a play about the … Continue reading Aristophanes’s The Birds: A New City in the Sky →

The Courts Ridiculed in the Wasps

At the outset of the Wasps, we are presented with two slaves who are awakening after drinking. They have been tasked with keeping guard over the entrances and exits of their house. A huge net has been cast over the house. Their instructions come from their master, Bdelykleon ("Kleon despiser" -in the play, Aristophanes continues his … Continue reading The Courts Ridiculed in the Wasps →

The Navigator

9/5/2016 The Navigator (1924) Director: Buster Keaton and Donald Crisp ★★★★☆ The Navigator is another delightful and important silent film directed by Buster Keaton. It is prescient in a number of ways, including foreshadowing the work of Charlie Chaplin in Modern Times with the contemplation of man in his unnatural habitat filled with confusing and anxiety-ridden machinery. This film, … Continue reading The Navigator →

Aristotle, Oedipus, and Greek Tragedy

There has been a longstanding debate, dating back to Aristotle, regarding the purpose or telos of tragedy, and whether or not the key "tragic" element is the result of a unique or particular character flaw caused by the protagonist. In other words, is Oedipus merely a flawed human being who has brought about the destruction of himself, his … Continue reading Aristotle, Oedipus, and Greek Tragedy →