scholarship

• Key Scholars:

  • Goldhill
  • Garvie
  • Hall
  • Cartledge
  • Konstan
  • Macdowell
  • Marshall
  • Higgins
  • Fagles
  • Rosie Wyles
  • Chris Carey
  • Bettendorf
• BETTENDORF states on Frogs: “The primary function of the play, however, is not literary criticism but political action.”
• GARVIE (On Dionysus in the Bacchae): “The god who promises joy will produce only suffering and horror.”
• CHRIS CAREY (Describing Pentheus): describes him as “ tyrannical ”
• GOLDHILL (Oedipus): Claims he is both a “saviour and a monster”
• FAGLES (Oedipus): “Oedipus is his own destroyer.”
• HIGGINS (Oedipus): “Oedipus seems outwardly the ideal king"
• Garvie claims: Oedipus' discovery of his crimes leads to his fall, not the fact that he committed them.
• Garvie: points out the irony on how Teiresias, the blind prophet, can see the truth while Oedipus, the visually able, is blind to it
• MARSHALL (Chorus): “In the 5th century, the chorus were very important to the plot of the comedy”
• CARTLEDGE (comedy in general): “In comedy, there is a tendency for the norms of life to be suspended or subverted”
• MACDOWELL: ‘Dionysus has no idea how to row; this would have been seen as ridiculous'
• EDITH HALL claims that performances were impacted by the limited number of actors who had to play several characters each
• GOLDHILL argues that drama festivals were used for Greek cities to show themselves off to foreigners
• KNOX (on tragic heroes): claims a key feature of a tragic hero is their “ inability to yield”
• TAPLIN: ‘The Chorus act as an 'emotional bridge' between the audience and the narrator, telling us how we should be feeling/acting’ 
• Higgins: “To attend the theatre was a religious duty and the responsibility of all pious citizens.”
• GARVIE: claims we should “admire” Oedipus’ pursuit of the truth
• HIGGINS (Fate): “The pity and terror aroused by Oedipus’ tragic fall brings about a catharsis, the realisation that the power of fate cannot be overcome”
• ROSIE WYLES   (Pentheus): states how Pentheus’ appearance in bacchic clothing highlights Dionysus’ control over him
• Dover: claims frogs was unique in having a moving vehicle in Charon’s boat
• DOVER: claims Aristophanes never reveals his own standpoint on politics (although it could be argued that Dionysus represents him)
• HEATH: claims the parabasis is the only part of any Aristophanes play with any political intent
• GOMME: states ‘Aristophanes should not be taken seriously in political terms’
• RUFFEL: claims Dionysus was “an accidental judge”