Aristophanic Humour: Theory and Practice

Swallow, Peter

ISBN 10: 1350194859 / ISBN 13: 9781350194854

Published by Bloomsbury Academic (edition Illustrated), 2021

It's a well-cared-for item that has seen limited use. The item may show minor signs of wear. All the text is legible, with all pages included. It may have slight markings and/or highlighting. Seller Inventory # 1350194859-8-1

Synopsis:

This volume sets out to discuss a crucial question for ancient comedy – what makes Aristophanes funny? Too often Aristophanes’ humour is taken for granted as merely a tool for the delivery of political and social commentary. But Greek Old Comedy was above all else designed to amuse people, to win the dramatic competition by making the audience laugh the hardest. Any discussion of Aristophanes therefore needs to take into account the ways in which his humour actually works. This question is addressed in two ways. The first half of the volume offers an in-depth discussion of humour theory – a field heretofore largely overlooked by classicists and Aristophanists – examining various theoretical models within the specific context of Aristophanes’ eleven extant plays. In the second half, contributors explore Aristophanic humour more practically, examining how specific linguistic techniques and performative choices affect the reception of humour, and exploring the range of subjects Aristophanes tackles as vectors for his comedy. A focus on performance shapes the narrative, since humour lives or dies on the stage – it is never wholly comprehensible on the page alone.

About the Authors: Peter Swallow is Nomikos Research Associate at King’s College London, UK. He co-edited Aristophanic Humour (Bloomsbury Academic, 2020) and is currently working on the British reception of Aristophanes.

Edith Hall is Professor of Classics at the University of Durham and Consultant Director of the Archive of Performances of Greek and Roman Drama in Oxford, UK. Her books on ancient Greek culture and its reception include The Return of Ulysses (2008), Greek Tragedy (2010), Adventures with Iphigenia in Tauris (2013) and Introducing the Ancient Greeks (2015).

Bibliographic Details

Title: Aristophanic Humour: Theory and Practice
Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic (edition Illustrated)
Publication Date: 2021
Binding: Paperback
Condition: Very Good
Edition: Illustrated.