#Greek Comedy

[mariuspompom]

"Iron is an English word. Is it possible that irony is derived from it?"

No vicky it is not derived from it.

Fun fact nobody cares it comes from the ancient greek word "eiron" who was a stock character in greek comedy. That character was actually really intelligent but pretended to be dumb and this contrasted with "alazon" a guy who was very arrogant but in reality was pretty dumb. Socrates was also famous for his "irony" aka "simulated ignorance" because he pretended to be ignorant in order to expose the person he was having a conversation with. Today "irony" has a slightly different meaning but what remains is the opposition between what you say and what you mean.

It is also striking because verbal irony seems to me as a very widespread style of expression in France (at least Paris) today, (especially in people from higher education from bourgeois families) and as a greek, coming from a different culture, I do tend to get offended very easily by people being overtly ironic to me because we do tend to be more straightforward and irony (in the modern sense of the word) is badly perceived. But here where I live it is normal and just a joke most of the time. But what is interesting, and what I find annoying, is that irony is used most of the time to show how smart the person is, it is a more refined form of boasting, which is precisely what Tholomyès is doing. This is diametrically different to the initial ancient greek meaning of irony as "simulated ignorance". "He doubted everything to the last degree, which is a vast force in the eyes of the weak. Being thus ironical and bald, he was the leader". Ironically, pun intended, Tholomyès seems to me as a basic fool, just a very privileged one who knows how to present himself to people that don't get how much of a fool he is. He's more the "alazon" type than the "eiron" type. And he triggers me because I've met people who are exactly like modern day Tholomyès, it is a particular type of privileged, smartass, hollow, sarcastic french bourgeois law student that I am sadly familiar with.3

[gardenof-eda]

I found another rabbit hole, shocker.

I started looking into the oldest scary clown movie. Admittedly I am either a true horror fan or a masochist as I have a pretty longstanding hatred of the scary clowns trope. So much, that I find some non scary clowns terrifying depending on their stance or face makeup. And yet, I have found myself in many a scenario almost in tears watching something clown related. Both IT interpretations, American Horror Story ( actually don’t know if Dandy or Twisty is worse), the Terrifier (only the first, as it’s name truly served its purpose), Killer Clowns from outer space etc.

My search led to a discussion on the oldest clown movie being somewhere between Lon chaney’s character in Laugh, Clown, Laugh or the Man Who Laughs. I’ve always seen pictures and been interested in the latter anyway, the movie cover chosen is pretty striking and has always made me curious.

So, here I am, watching the Man Who Laughs.

It’s described as a horror and listed as such but right at the beginning there is such an air of tragedy. The way the story allows us to see the layers of cruelty and sadness Gwynplaine experienced feels so ahead of its time. The images of a tortured boy being left behind by a ship to die as an outcast. The image of the boy itself is so hard to see. To be asked to imagine a child who’s survived having his face carved so heinously is in itself only one of the emotional hurdles of the movie. A quick fast forward we see the effects of the world’s beatings on Gwynplaine. He is shy, a seemingly unworthy contender in this human race who’s accepted the crumbs of a life as a freak. His value is even briefly compared to a 5 legged cow and like so many other with physical differences in the past. His only path led to the circus where his face laughs for money but his heart breaks for more than simple change and the fleeting acceptance of a crowd seeking out entertainment and not empathy for the man they see before them.

So many cinema themes are rampant, the most obvious being “Sock and Buskin”. The masks symbolize both the joy and sadness experienced in the theater as well as in life. Gwynplain has no choice but to wear the face of joy and laughter while his life has been a series of unspeakable tragedies. There’s a moving but quick moment where he’s staring at himself in the mirror, he’s hoping to see something different perhaps but as usual, nothing changes. He closes the mirror doors and there on the knobs, sit the two masks in question. Another instance comes later when Ursus claims the show must go on! We have this shot of the words “The Man Who Laughs” on the stage, as the performance is being introduced by a man who can’t help but to sob as he introduces the Dea’s stage appearance to a crowd of eager and unaware onlookers.

The theme of beauty being in the eye of the beholder is also something I think is important to in this movie. Dea is the only blind character and yet is gifted with the most sight and perspective. In her own words, she beautifully tells Gwynplaine that god has made her who she is so that she could be with, and see him for who he truly is. Nonetheless, he loves from afar as he feels anything closer is a union she doesn’t deserve. He doesn’t see the man she sees, just the clown. It’s unfortunate as she doesn’t appear to be the only one that loves him. Ursus clearly loves him the way he would his own son. He allows him to not only live with him but he roots for Gwynplaine and Dea’s happiness, as well as grieves at the loss of him, and the possibility of Gwynplaine’s fulfilling his need as heir in the form of husband for the beautiful but cruel Josiana. Finally, but certainly not least he is loved by Homo. The canine companion and protector of their little family. Homo feels like a commentary on the unconditional love that overflows in animals, and stops short in humans. Despite each members lowly place in this wretched society, Homo’s love for them is ever present. He goes through remarkable hurdles to bring his family back together, his most triumphant being his attack so that Gwynplaine could escape, and finally his swim to the ship so that he could go back to the life he so desperately fought to have back.

A lot of the film has Gwynplaine covering his mouth when it is not needed for performance or when he is around those judging eyes.He uses his hands and a cloth mask to cover his ever present gruesome expression. Despite this we lose no depth of emotion from this character. The weight of the entire performance mouth covered or not is on Conrad’s emotive eyebrows, the wrinkles tattooed on his forehead from years of torment, and his eyes that are always just brimming with sadness and tears. There’s this brief moment when before he finds his courage to address the court where he uses the cloth that normally covers his smile to cover his eyes. Like the way a boy closes his eyes to jump into the deep end. It summarizes in once glance that this although he physically grew up, a scared little boy has always been standing behind a mutilated mask. It’s so quick, but so poetic and only made more grand by the image of him standing there. His face voluntarily uncovered by himself being the only smile in a room full of frowning.

Maybe my own perceptions of government have leeched into this last thought but here we go. I think my favorite concept in this movie is the image of a clown. What is it? A person in hair and makeup, entertaining the masses? Is that then not the role of monarchs and their peanut gallery courts? Are they not painted, powdered and wigged figures that put on a show for the people around them? A show of power to those that fear them, and a show of their divine right to those that wish to be like them. Not only do they put on things like these carnivals and freak shows in the first place to keep the poor complacent and distracted; but on a more contrived note, is the pomp and circumstance of monarch’s and not just all show anyway? The stale image of a stuffy gallery full of people with nothing better to do than to sit in yards of frill and lace draped across their historically unhygienic bodies while a bored quartet plays as their background theme. I haven’t even begun to describe the performances of the women.

Or is a clown a strategic use of body language and facial expressions to earn a positive reaction out of people? One could argue that Duchess Josiana is then one of the best. I love seeing liberality in women, especially in something so far back as a German expressionist film. However the brazen display of her feminine wiles is very “put on” in front of men. She performs when they enter her space albeit clown, courtesan, or the peasants and drunkards at the fair. She darkens her light features with eye paint and lines her painfully sharp cupids bow with red lip paint to complete her character as a classless calibre of woman. A performance the queen has seen more than once and refuses to applaud. She couldn’t be more delighted to cage her restless bird in a marriage she would deem a punishment. Jokes on her, you’d be hard pressed to find a man for a husband like Gwynplaine.

A round of applause for Olga Baclanova whose deliberate take on malicious femme fatales never cease to make me loathe her. I’m always floored by the likeness between her and Madonna in her heyday. In you need to see more of her you’ll find an equally impressive and loathsome performance of hers in the movie Freaks, another movie ahead of its years.

This movie feels like a gateway to joker origin stories, call backs to the displays of love of the Hunchback of Notredame, Cicero, and maybe even Pinocchio. I was left with commentary on casting stones at glass houses dripping in cleverly disguised writing. I’m always surprised by how German expressionism or I guess just a good movie in general whips me into a verbal frenzy. Despite a beautiful display of acting on each actors part, the obvious star was always Conrad Veidt. His portrayal of an innocent man tortured by his permanent grin draws out the real clowns of society. Making Gwynplaine a clown that can’t be feared, but a man that is deserving of all the love in the world.

[brimo5]

Herakles:How did you become one of the chthonic? Dionysus:You remember the last time I entered the Underworld to bring back Euripides? Dionysus:And Plouton prepared a f*cking sumptuous meal for me. Herakles:(shrug) It's no big deal. I ate sixteen loaves, a lot of garlic, and more dishes here. Persephone:I guess the old trick still works.

[ihavenomouthandimustyap]

Ancient Greece was woke btw

[soulmaking]

Aristophanes, Knights (trans. Paul Roche)

[dark-academia-alcoholic]

My life,

It seems,

Is but a Greek comedy.

[wafflelovingbatgirl]

brek-ek-ek-ek koax koax -🐸

Stop that, it’s giving me a headache-Dionysus

brek-ek-ek-ek koax koax 😛 -🐸

[katerinaaqu]

Hi! It's me again!

I wanted to ask, what are your favourite greek tragedies/comedies/texts and authors? In your analysis I see you mention a lot of them (Euripides and Ovid being some exemples), so I was curious to know more ^^

Oh that is a very good question! I guess it depends on the charcter represented in the tragedies. All writers seem to have good and bad traits there. For example I love Eurypedes's cretivity and the way he handles human emotions and I definitely love his writing in regards on some characters but his obsession of villainizing some characters (particularly Odysseus) makes me tick a bit! Hahahaha! Aeschylus is also a very sensitive writer and has some amazing works in his portfolio. And he is one of the few that speak for the Seven Against Thebes. Sophocles is also amazing and much sensitive and careful with what he writes etc

I should say out of the Greek writers I do love Sophocles for his depictions of homeric characters, especially Odysseus in many cases (like "Ajax" or "Philoctetes"). I love the writing on Eurypedes when he focuses on the "background characters" such as the women of Troy and the tragedies of war and the consequences of them From roman times I am not so familiar with theater but epic poetry is also flourishing and so I do like people like Statius who touch subjects of the epic cycle such as Achillis and Thebais) etc

So I enjoy really much "Helen" by Eurypedes, he uses creative liberties to create his story. By Sophocles honest I love most of his work. "Ajax" and "Philoctetes" are amazing balancing comedy and tragedy suffering and forgiveness, "Antigone" as famously one of the most known passages that every Greek kid knows (Ironically from a comedy series! XD) etc

Now from Comedy of course the old master is Aristophanes. He is just pure satire of everything that goes on around him. He is also famous for his foul mouth and cussing words in his comedies. One must look at "Ploutos" ("Wealth") to know where mortals give a blind god back his light! Like the dude was unhinged with society!

[anakinsafterlife]

While we're brushing up on our Greek canon, friends, don't forget to read Lysistrata. Not a tragedy, but not only one of the funniest comedies in recorded history, but also completely relevant to this day.

[abuddyforeveryseason]

This, the Buddy for April 14th.

Not my best work, but it has a bit of nostalgic value for the red ink on black background.

Also nostalgic, the face, looking a bit like a sad Greek Theatre mask.

It sounds a bit silly now, but when I was younger, I was interested in Classical Greek comedy. Aristophanes and whatnot. I've read a lot of those plays. The Frogs, The Birds, The Wasps, The Clouds. That type of stuff. I guess I figured if I liked comedy, I should start with the earliest comedies known to man.

The Birds was the best one. A real rage-against-the-heavens type of plot, you know. Of course, I missed a lot of stuff because I didn't know enough about the culture of an ancient people, so the stories didn't make too much sense. Hell, even calling them "stories" doesn't really make that much sense, when you consider the background.

Still, I'd read a lot of plays. It's much cheaper than going to the theatre, you know, as Troy McClure would put it.

I also had a bit of an idea of making a comic based on those stories. Still kind of do, I guess, although I'm no longer working on it. I figured a long, multi-chapter saga about greek mythology could be like Osamu Tezuka's Phoenix manga, different stories joined by a recurring element.

But, that's a bit too ambitious for a dude who barely has enough patience to make one drawing a day.

[auralavande]

seinfeld, but it’s just the plot of aristophanes’ the frogs

[kellynicole515]

FULL VID UP ON Y.T.!

[blueheartbookclub]

"The Clouds: A Timeless Satirical Masterpiece"

Aristophanes, through his timeless play "The Clouds," brings forth a riveting blend of humor, wit, and social commentary that transcends the boundaries of time and culture. William James Hickie's translation beautifully captures the essence of Aristophanes' original Greek comedy, allowing readers to revel in the satire and thought-provoking insights that remain relevant to this day.

"The Clouds" is a bold and imaginative critique of the intellectual and moral climate of ancient Athens, presented through the lens of the eccentric Socrates and the establishment of the "Thinkery." As readers embark on this comedic journey, they are treated to a sharp exploration of the conflict between tradition and innovation, philosophy and practicality.

The play unfolds with Strepsiades, a debt-ridden farmer seeking refuge from his financial woes, enrolling in the Thinkery to acquire the skill of persuasive argumentation. Here, Socrates, brilliantly portrayed as an airy intellectual consumed by abstract ideas, takes center stage. The ensuing dialogue between Strepsiades and Socrates is a testament to Aristophanes' genius in blending humor with intellectual depth.

Hickie's translation preserves the linguistic nuances and comedic elements, allowing readers to appreciate the clever wordplay, puns, and innuendos that make Aristophanes' work a literary treasure. The humor is sharp, and the satire biting, as Aristophanes fearlessly mocks the intellectual elite and challenges the societal norms of his time.

Beyond its comedic brilliance, "The Clouds" serves as a mirror reflecting the perennial tension between the pursuit of knowledge and the practicalities of daily life. Aristophanes raises thought-provoking questions about the responsibilities of intellectuals, the consequences of unchecked innovation, and the delicate balance between tradition and progress.

In the hands of Hickie, Aristophanes' wit shines through, making this translation an accessible and enjoyable experience for contemporary readers. The characters come to life with vividness, and the dialogues resonate with relevance, inviting readers to reflect on the timeless themes presented.

"The Clouds" is more than a mere comedy; it is a literary gem that challenges societal norms, questions authority, and invites introspection. Aristophanes' bold satire, combined with Hickie's adept translation, ensures that this play remains a captivating and enduring piece of literature that transcends the ages.

"The Clouds," of Aristophanes skillfully translated byWilliam James Hickie is available in Amazon in paperback 10.99$ and hardcover 18.99$ editions.

Number of pages: 105

Language: English

Rating: 8/10                                           

Link of the book!

Review By: King's Cat

[hemlockdrunk]

*in piedi sul piano della cucina* buongiorno φίλοι, φίλαι e φίλα. a grande richiesta. 

Il Δύσκολος, noto in italiano intercambiabilmente con il titolo di Misantropo o di Burbero, è una commedia menandrea in cinque atti datata attorno al 316 a.c., nonché unica opera del filone della commedia nuova ad esserci pervenuto quasi per intero. Al centro della narrazione vi sono due vicende parallele, quella del giovane Sostrato, proveniente da una ricca famiglia cittadina, innamorato di un’umile fanciulla contadina della quale, giustamente, non conosciamo neppure il nome; e quella di Cnemone, vecchio scorbutico e asociale - da lui il nome della commedia - e padre della giovane. 

Il personaggio di quest’ultimo è caratterizzato molto chiaramente, come un “misantropo (ἀπάνθρωπος, “lontano dall’umanità), collerico con tutti (appunto δύσκολος πρὸς ἅπαντας), che non ama la gente.”  [δύσκολος I, vv 6-7]. La sua è un’asocialità fraintesa dagli altri personaggi, la cui immagine di Cnemone è quella di un vecchio selvatico e aggressivo ai limiti della bestialità, che non solo evita ma contrasta attivamente qualsiasi tipo di contatto con il mondo esterno e contemporaneo. In verità, il suo atteggiamento altro non è che una risposta estrema a un bisogno di integrità morale; esso si manifesta in un rifiuto attivo della città, luogo naturale di rapporti umani, sociali ed economici, ma anche simbolo e incarnazione di progresso e modernità, e da un rifugio nella campagna, in una vita spartana e quasi autarchica, umile, povera. Cnemone, come la maggior parte dei vecchi nella letteratura grecolatina, è ancorato agli antiqui mores, alle tradizioni patrie e in ultimis a un’idea di moralità ormai superata e arcaica. L’isolamento di Cnemone dalla socialità corrisponde in larga misura a un isolamento dal presente; e risulta difficile non vedere in questo comportamento un parallelismo con quello dei tre evangelisti. O almeno, risulta difficile a me non pensare ai tre evangelisti per più di cinque minuti di fila. 

Il presente, dagli occhi degli evangelisti, è sinonimo di degrado, scardinamento. I sistemi valoriali di tutti e tre (soprattutto di Marc, considerato che fredvargas a quanto pare preferirebbe morire piuttosto che approfondire un minimo introspettivamente Mathias e ancora di più Lucien) paiono anche loro radicati nei rispettivi periodi d’elezione; di nuovo, soprattutto quello di Marc, con tutte le sue seghe mentali sulla nobiltà cavalleresca. Il simbolo maggiormente rappresentativo del loro isolamento completo dal presente e dal progresso è, almeno a mio avviso, l’elemento del telefono - o della sua mancanza. Essa li isola non solo metaforicamente da una tecnologia ormai incompatibile con le loro tendenze al rifugiarsi nel passato, ma fisicamente da qualsiasi contatto con l’esterno. Non a caso il loro unico ponte con la modernità (n.d.a. in questo trip allucinante che mi sto facendo userò presente, modernità e contemporaneità, che storicamente NON significano la stessa cosa, nella loro accezione di uso comune, come sinonimi di, appunto, presente, perché ripetere sempre la stessa parola suonerebbe male) nonché con la rete telefonica è Vandoosler il Vecchio, simbolo del presente, che per telefonare deve uscire dalla casa per recarsi al vicino bar, atto che può essere inteso come un abbandono del passato, di cui la topaia pare intrisa, e una dipendenza da un luogo di rapporto umano come il bar, ma soprattutto luogo moderno. In più, non è difficile riscontrare somiglianze tra i rispettivi stili di vita, entrambi poveri e difficili seppur per diversi motivi. 

Come Cnemone rifiuta la contemporaneità, così gli evangelisti, e qualsiasi epoca non sia quella che vedono come “loro”, e una mediazione tra piani temporali non pare possibile. In realtà, la suddetta mediazione tra contesti e epoche avverrà, nel δύσκολος come più discutibilmente nella trilogia degli evangelisti, dalla forza conciliatrice dell’Eros. In Menandro, è l’amore di Sostrato per la figlia di Cnemone a fungere da intermediario nelle contrapposizioni di ordine psicologico, generazionale, ambientale e socioeconomico; in Vargas è altresì l’amore (amore platonico, amicale, fraterno, non assolutamente con sfumature omoerotiche) che comunque si forma tra i tre nonostante le loro evidenti differenze, permettendo loro di superare la barriera temporale dei secoli e fisica delle scale per unirsi tutti in nome di una causa comune. L’amore di Sostrato (come l’amore l’amicizia tra gli evangelisti) attiva un processo comunicativo e conciliatore tra mondi così distanti, in quanto nell’universo menandreo “l’eros [...] si afferma come forza conciliatrice capace di mediare tra le disparità delle condizioni sociali e dei caratteri” [F. Ferrari, Introduzione al teatro greco, Sansoni, Milano, 1996.] 

Altra analogia può essere trovata nella scena del pozzo. Durante l’atto IV, a causa di un errore della vecchia serva fidata (dunque per colpa di una donna più matura con la quale la persona ha un rapporto di fiducia stretta e quasi familiare non so se vedete la mia visione o se sono io che sto uscendo di testa) Cnemone precipita in un pozzo, dove resta, ferito e quasi moribondo, incapace di uscirne. A salvarlo sono Gorgia, figlio di primo letto della ex moglie di Cnemone stesso, e Sostrato; Gorgia si cala nel pozzo e soccorre Cnemone, mentre Sostrato regge la fune per trascinarli di nuovo in superficie. Se fisicamente i ruoli corrispondenti sono chiari (Mathias-Cnemone, Marc-Gorgia e Lucien-Sostrato) metaforicamente parlando le figure si confondono, tanto da poter affermare che tutti e tre gli evangelisti siano in qualche misura tutti e tre gli eroi comici. 

Cnemone è nel pozzo, nuovamente e ancor più isolato, sprofondato in strati di terreno che effettivamente risalgono a epoche passate; e Cnemone rappresenta l’anzianità, rappresenta il rifugio nel passato e nella solitudine - che, con il caso del pozzo, potrebbero trasformarsi dal suo riparo alla sua tomba - il rifiuto del presente, e tutto quello che è stato detto in precedenza. Gorgia, al contrario, rappresenta la gioventù contrapposta alla vecchiaia del patrigno. Quello di Gorgia è un personaggio completamente positivo, portatore di valori etici quasi progressisti e che nella sua giovinezza porta al tempo stesso novità e maturità. I tre evangelisti stessi, nonostante i trent’anni suonati, sono sempre descritti come dei giovani, da Sophia, da Armand, da Adamsberg, et cetera. Nonostante la loro vocazione da storici, gli evangelisti sono comunque, volenti o nolenti, membri più o meno attivi di un presente che cercano di cambiare e migliorare, a partire dalla loro situazione finanziaria sino al complesso dell’eroe che emerge potentemente quando si ritrovino invischiati in un caso di omicidio. L’immagine del nuovo che soccorre il vecchio, nel momento in cui entrambi gli spiriti coesistano all’interno dei tre evangelisti, può essere intesa come se i tre, vicendevolmente, si salvassero da sé stessi. Le loro vite prima dell’incontro e della coabitazione sono sempre descritte come deprimenti, faticose e soprattutto solitarie [Fred Vargas, Debout les Morts, capitolo III]. L’aiuto che si prestano a vicenda, anche inconsciamente, non è solo monetario ma soprattutto morale, psicologico, e per quanto siano incapaci di esprimerlo a parole in quanto uomini alfa testosteronici l’affetto che provano l’uno per l’altro, di qualsiasi natura esso sia, è senza dubbio presente, e sincero.

Per ultima, viene la dimensione erotica. Le motivazioni di Sostrato, lasciato a reggere la fune, sono in realtà le più semplici: ingraziarsi il padre e, speranzosamente, la figlia. Più volte descrive, nella sua ῥῆσις ἀγγέλλικε, come durante l’intera operazione di salvataggio e subito dopo non sia in grado di staccare gli occhi dalla giovane, trattenendosi a stento dal baciarla. Similmente, persino dopo essere riemerso ed essere stato estratto dal pozzo, Mathias ripensa a Juliette (uomo etero alert) e al fatto che nonostante fosse un’assassina (e probabilmente pure lesbica) per farla breve lui aveva sempre voluto portarsela a letto e anzi, quasi quasi in fin dei conti era un peccato che non fosse successo. Invece Lucien - che è patologicamente incapace di comportarsi da eterosessuale - alla fine di questa serie di eventi fortemente traumatici, quando ci è finalmente dato uno spaccato dei suoi pensieri, anziché imparanoiarsi per tutto quello che è appena successo, fissa il suo coinquilino (uomo) bagnato fradicio, con tanto di descrizione del modo in cui i capelli gli ricadano sulle spalle. Comunque, se Sostrato riesce a ottenere la benedizione di Cnemone e a sposare l’amata, nessuno dei tre evangelisti tromba né verosimilmente tromberà mai. Choose celibacy !!!

Questi erano i miei due centesimi (documento google di 1400 parole). Valgono gli stessi disclaimer del muro di testo dell’altra volta io sono solo un omino su tumblr e sono pronto a scommettere che anche se fredvargas avesse letto Menandro di sicuro non ha creato volontariamente questa gigantesca metafora che invece ho allucinato io. Questa volta l’elaborazione arriva DOPODOMANI non rompetemi il cazzo sulla grammatica io questa roba non l’ho neanche riletta. 

bibliografia: xenia 3 (il mio libro di letteratura greca); la mia insegnante di greco (grazie monica); fonti terze citate nel testo. per lo spelling delle parole greche ringrazio poesialatina punto it e olivetti greco dizionario online quindi se accenti e spiriti sono messi a cazzo di cane o manca uno iota sottoscritto sappiate che per una volta NON è colpa mia.

[gennsoup]

"A friend in sight is far more valuable than hidden wealth, which you keep hoarded up."

Menander, The Dyskolos

[pebblegalaxy]

Exploring the Timeless Themes of Lysistrata: A Classic Greek Comedy Play

Lysistrata is a Greek comedy play written by Aristophanes in 411 BC. It was first performed at the Lenaia festival in Athens and is now considered a classic of ancient Greek literature. The play deals with the theme of war and peace and is known for its bawdy humor and satirical portrayal of gender relations. There have been several controversies associated with Lysistrata over the years. One of…