The birds and other plays : The knights, Peace, Wealth, The assembly women / Aristophanes ; translated with introductory matter by David Barrett and Alan H. Sommerstein.

Format:

• Book

Author/Creator:

• Aristophanes.

Contributor:

• Barrett, David, 1914-1998.
• Sommerstein, Alan H.

Series:

• Penguin classics

Standardized Title:

• Selections

Language:

• English
• Greek, Ancient (to 1453)

Subjects (All):

• Aristophanes--Translations into English.
• Aristophanes.

Physical Description:

336 pages ; 20 cm.

Place of Publication:

London : Penguin, 2003.

Language Note:

Translated from the Ancient Greek.

Summary:

These plays, written over forty years, contain Aristophanes' trademark bawdy comedy and dazzling verbal agility. In The Birds, two frustrated Athenians join with the birds to build the utopian city of 'Much Cuckoo in the Clouds'. The Knights is a venomous satire on Cleon, the prominent Athenian demagogue, while The Assemblywomen considers the war of the sexes, as the women of Athens infiltrate the all-male Assembly in disguise. The lengthy conflict with Sparta is the subject of Peace, inspired by the hope of a settlement in 421 BC, and Wealth reflects the economic catastrophe that hit Athens after the war, as the god of riches is depicted as a ragged, blind old man. The lively translations by David Barrett and Alan H. Sommerstein capture the full humour of the plays. The introduction examines Aristophanes' life and times, and the comedy and poetry of his works. This volume also includes an introductory note for each play.

Contents:

• About the author / Alan H. Sommerstien
• Aristophanes in antiquity / Alan H. Sommerstein
• Aristophanes, comedian and poet / David Barrett
• The knights / translated by Alan H. Sommerstein
• Peace / translated by Alan H. Sommerstein
• The birds / translated by David Barrett
• The assemblywomen / translated by David Barrett
• Wealth / translated by Alan H. Sommerstein.

Notes:

• This translation originally published: Harmondsworth : Penguin, 1978.
• Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN:

0140449515

OCLC:

52620952