Or, consider The Frogs as an old comedy.

[For Part C]

“The Frogs,” first performed in 405 BCE, is a famous comic play written by Aristophanes (446-386 BCE). It is one of the best examples of Old Comedy in Greek literature. Old Comedy is known for open satire, bold humour, chorus songs, fantasy, and direct criticism of society, politics, and writers. In “The Frogs,” Aristophanes uses laughter not only to entertain but also to teach important lessons to Athens. The play shows all the major features of Old Comedy very clearly.

Use of Fantasy and Imagination: One important feature of Old Comedy is fantasy. In “The Frogs,” the god Dionysus travels to the Underworld to bring back a great poet to save Athens. Gods talk like common people. Dead poets argue like living men. Frogs sing on the river. This kind of impossible but funny situation is common in Old Comedy. The journey to Hades makes the play lively and imaginative. It helps Aristophanes freely criticize society through a comic dream world.

Comic Portrayal of Gods and Characters: Old Comedy often shows gods in a humorous way. Dionysus, the god of drama, is shown as foolish, cowardly, and confused. He even says,

“Forget my courage. Show me the highway… that takes me directly down to Hades.”

This makes the audience laugh. Gods are not serious or divine here. They behave like ordinary, silly men. This bold treatment of gods is a strong feature of Old Comedy.

Role of the Chorus: The Chorus is very important in Old Comedy, and “The Frogs” clearly shows this. The chorus appears as singing frogs. They create comedy with nonsense sounds like:

“Brekekekex koax koax.”

Later, the Chorus speaks directly to the audience. They give advice about politics and society.

Parabasis and Direct Social Criticism: The Parabasis is a special part of Old Comedy where the Chorus speaks the poet’s own views. In “The Frogs,” the Chorus openly criticizes the leaders of Athens. They ask people to change their ways. They say that worthy people should be used again. 

“But now, you silly fools, it’s time to change your ways.
Use worthy people once again.”

This open political advice shows that Old Comedy does not hide its message. Aristophanes uses comedy as a tool to correct society.

Satire on Literature and Poets: Old Comedy often attacks writers and intellectuals. In this play, Aristophanes presents a comic contest between Aeschylus and Euripides. They argue about whose poetry is better for Athens.

Euripides represents the new intellectual thinking of Athens. Euripides proudly claims that his plays taught people to think deeply and question everything.

“I taught them to think… to love double dealing, to suspect the worst.”

Aristophanes uses this line to criticize him. He suggests that this kind of thinking has made people clever but dishonest and morally weak.

In contrast, Aeschylus represents old values and tradition. He believes poets should make people noble and brave. Through Aeschylus, Aristophanes shows his belief that poetry should guide society toward courage, honor, and moral goodness, not confusion and deceit. Dionysus finally decides to take Aeschylus back because he can give better advice to the city. This literary satire is a major feature of Old Comedy.

Bold Language: Old Comedy uses bold language, jokes, and exaggeration without fear. Aristophanes freely mocks politicians, poets, and even gods. There is no restriction. This freedom makes Old Comedy lively and powerful.

In conclusion, “The Frogs” is a perfect example of Old Comedy. It includes fantasy, comic gods, an active chorus, open satire, literary debate, and a strong moral message. Aristophanes uses humour to teach Athens how to think and act wisely. Therefore, the play fully shows all the main features of Old Comedy in a clear and effective way.