Greek Comedy VIII: Aristophanes’s Birds, or Tippi Hedren, Eat Your Heart Out

Posted byTriumvir ClioPosted inGreek Comedy, The Greeks

Birds is a weird play. For Aristophanes, it is a long play. But it also isn’t as topical as several of Aristophanes’s other plays. It is unique in the oeuvre that is Old Comedy.

Discussion Prompts:
  1. Goodhope largely disappears as the play progresses. What does this make you think about the relationship between Makemedo and Goodhope?
  2. If you were directing this today, what would be your vision?  How would you want this play to look?  Why?
  3. How seriously should we take this play?  Why?
  4. The only “women” in this play are the nightingale (who is played by a musical instrument) and the Divine Princess.  How would you address these characters and this disparity in a modern productions?

Published by Triumvir Clio

I have a BA in History and Classical Civilization from Loyola University Chicago and an MPH from Western Michigan University. I've been a geometry teacher, a religion teacher, a writing tutor. I'm a writer, a knitter, a dancer, a singer, an actor. And, yes, for fun I like to reread everything that was assigned while getting my classics degree.

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