The Politics of Aristophanes: a Comedian or a Politician?

 by Lily E

Upon reading Aristophanes’ comedy ‘Frogs’ in lessons, I was struck by how outwardly he expressed his opinions. I saw it as similar to the British political satire sitcom ‘Yes Prime Minister’, as both mock the political systems of their time. The series had political influence but was also Margaret Thatcher’s favourite TV show, and these statements seem to oppose each other. This raises questions about the use of politics in Aristophanes’ comedies; how seriously do we interpret Aristophanes’ comedies and how would the audience interpret them? Would his messages be treated as serious political messages or were they just sources of entertainment?

In 450 BC, comedy was exempted from the scope of Athenian prohibitions on slander by the licensed freedom of speech (parrhesia) of a religious festival. This meant that playwrights had free legal reign to put almost anything political in their plays. In 440/439 BC (perhaps because of the current revolt of Samos) and in 415/414 BC (the reason probably being because of the profanation of the Eleusian mysteries, a religious cult, that had happened prior) that licence was restricted and at times suspended. The demos (the people of Athens) did not allow themselves to be insulted, but permitted the abuse of individuals who were generally rich, well-born and powerful. After the City Dionysia in 426 BC, Aristophanes had supposedly broken this law.

We have evidence for this from his play that he put on a year later, where he seems to be talking through his characters. In this play, the Acharnians, the character Dikaiopolis talks to the audience, saying ‘And I know about myself, what I suffered at Kleon’s hands because of last year’s comedy. He dragged me into the Council chamber and began slandering me’ (lines 378-80). We can see from this quote that he accuses Kleon, who we know to be a prominent politician of the time, to have accused him of doing something unlawful. He refers again to last years’ play the Babylonians, saying ‘And what I'll say, though startling, will be right. For this time Kleon can’t accuse me of running down the city when foreigners are here. We’re by ourselves; it's the Lenaion contest; no foreigners are here yet, for the tribute and allies have not come’ ( lines 501-5). He refers now to the fact that this play is being presented in the Lenaia, which was a festival for Dionysus that only Athenian citizens could attend, and therefore Kleon cannot say that because of his play, foreigners have a lessened view/liking of Athens. 

Aristophanes’ impeachment from being a playwright had failed, this being the reason he is boasting about it. This does not, however, mean that Kleon had been wrong in principle of taking the politics of his comedy seriously. It was only that he failed to convince the relevant councillors to share his view of the damage allegedly done to Athens by this particular play. Kleon, as ‘defender of the faith’ felt obliged to resist innovation, motivated partly by his personal enmity for Aristophanes but also by the desire to propagate gospel on how Athens should rule her subject-allies of the Athenian Empire (which was the main issue at stake in the Babylonians). We can see from Kleon’s interference in Aristophanes’ plays that there was a serious element to ancient comedy that should not be ignored by modern audiences. 

Aristophanes was most likely an orator in comedic disguise, and we can see this through the rhetoric techniques used in his plays. He employed many of the same techniques practised in the Athenian Assemblies and law courts by the real-life politicians whom he satirised to persuade his audience towards a new and improved understanding of democratic politics. However, he also wanted to win first place like any other playwright. This meant that he had to appease the audience and therefore could not risk blatant and ambiguous attacks on the democratic system. He couldn't afford to give the audience the impression that he did not share and endorse their fundamental commitment to radical democracy. The message had to be wrapped up in comic trappings, which would hide its anti democratic source from all but the sharpest play-goers. Aristophanes wanted to achieve looking like he was either defending them from those who they mistakenly believed to be their friends (allegedly corrupt politicians like Kleon) or exposing to them the moral and political errors of supposedly typical democratic citizens (such as Philokleon in Wasps). 

So, Aristophanes was a combination of comedian and politician, so that he could air his views on the democratic system of Athens. The audience took comedy as entertainment but also listened to the political messages that they learnt from the plays. I would say that the significance and popularity of Aristopahnes’ plays largely relied on the political nature of them.