Chris Gonzalez-Crane

Carly Groben

Alma Mazer

Jodi Newman

Aristophanes was one of the greatest comics of Ancient Greece. His work covers a wide variety of topics and themes. He was known for his sharp wit and biting satire that often turned Greek society on its head to critique social and political realities of the time. In this journal, we investigate Aristophanes use of the comic lens through which a world is presented where men dress as women, women run the polis, and sex is used to gain political power. Through this lens a greater understanding of Greek society, Greek life, and Greek gender and sexual norms can be gained. Looking specifically at homosexuality and the household in Aristophanes’ brand of old comedy, we explore the contradictions inherent in a satirical context, highlighting how comedy can distort and alter our perceptions and interpretations.

Gender and sexuality pervaded all aspects of Classical Athenian culture and society and determined one’s position in the social hierarchy. One of the most fundamental divisions of Athenian society was that of the public and private sphere. Women were associated with "indoor works and indoor concerns" (Oeconomicus, VII) whereas men affirmed their masculinity through politics and public service. In addition, homosexuality created complex divisions and associations between the age groups and education levels. Aristophanes was able to explore the nuances of these gender roles and rules using comedy as a shield. Comedy allowed Aristophanes to invert and pervert social norms and conventions to highlight their absurdities.

A comic lens offers difficult and often contradictory visions of the Athenian world, leading to multiple interpretations. In looking at the different interpretations of homosexuality present in Aristophanes body of work, it is clear that he presents homosexuality in a negative light only to mock societies contradictions in homophobic beliefs. Though Aristophanes can be interpreted in different manners, adding and subtracting layers of analysis, he is clear in his support of homosexual love. Through analysis of Symposium and "Women at the Thesmophoria," Aristophanes offered many insights into his views and society’s views on homoerotic love. This is seen though direct commentary on homosexuality in the works and in the portrayal of the homosexual poet Agathon in the plays. What is presented must be looked into, as Aristophanes’ message goes beyond face value.

Aristophanes also sheds light on the location of gender roles in Classical Athenian society. The female rise to positions of political power can either be seen as reinforcing or reversing stereotypical gender roles for this period. On the one hand, the comedic use of sex to attain political power reflects women’s actual agency in the domestic realm. Comedy also allows Aristophanes to articulate the latent forms of female agency. Conversely, the women never assume male roles, but expand the domestic sphere onto the greater polis. Aristophanes couches radical political ideas in the easily dismissible female voice. Therefore, in Aristophanes plays, there exists a tension between actual female agency and the comic projection of convention.

It is difficult to find parallels between Aristophanes and Roman comedy. Although the styles differ, the purpose of the comedy is the same. Comedy serves to mask important social commentary by presenting it through a humorous lens. In Roman comedy, authors such as Terence also expose gender and sexual norms of the time. Although not as political as Aristophanes, Terence’s comedies also serve as an important window into social constructions of gender. In "The Mother-In Law," gender role expectations are explored, as situations of rape, marriage, and familial relations are revealed. Similarly, Aristophanes addresses these same issues in all three of his plays.

Therefore, it is evident that comedy is a useful tool to explore societal constructs in classical antiquity. Not only does it serve to reveal gender and sexuality roles in this period, but it can also speak to the modern reader as the layers can be stripped to reveal political commentary. Through Aristophanes’ comic lens the modern reader can see how some gender roles have been perpetuated and perverted for thousands of years. The expectation that women remain in the private sphere and the lampooning of homosexuals continues today, as is represented in modern comedy as well. As modern civilization was built on these ancient cultures, their study may provide insight into the essentialist versus constructionalist debate. Prevailing gender roles reinforce the essentialist point of view that men and women inherently are drawn to different spheres. Conversely, Aristophanes distortion of these roles could implicate constructionalism as critique implies inappropriateness. Aristophanes use of the comic lens highlights the idiosyncrasies of classical culture and the norms they have constructed, proving useful to both modern and ancient cultures.