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Aristophanic Humour

By Peter Swallow

Product Image: Aristophanic Humour

Aristophanic Humour

By Peter Swallow

0 - Default Title
Description
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.
Product details
Edition:
illustrated
Number of Pages:
298
Release Date:
2020-07-09
Publication Date:
2020-07-09
Publisher:
Bloomsbury 3PL
Languages:
Original: English
ISBN10:
1350101524
ISBN13:
9781350101524
Weight:
614 g
Height:
161 cm
Width:
240 cm
Thickness:
21 cm
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