The audience in the prologue is said to be full of gamblers such as Amynias who is “a compulsive diceplayer” suffering from “cubomania”,‘stranger lovers or xenophiles such as Philoxenus, and alcoholics. However, he brings attention to the foolishness of Athens’ people through topical social commentary on the current state of Athens rather than a social commentary on humanity in general. Aristophanes’ use of mockery is used to insult the audience. In calling humans fools, Puck insults the audience and says that humanity is silly in nature. Further, she wants to be near Demetrius even if he is nothing but disdainful towards her. This is also supported by the words of Helena, who says “but herein mean I to enrich my pain, to have his sight thither and back again.” She is foolish, chasing someone who is betrothed to another.
They foolishly do not pay heed to social expectations set by Egeus and Theseus, their superiors. This is supported through the actions of Lysander and Hermia’s elopement, Demetrius’ act of stalking Hermia and Helena’s act of stalking him. Shakespeare uses mockery when Puck tells Oberon “Lord, what fools these mortals be!” Through Puck, Shakespeare comments on, not only the young Athenians, but on humanity in general in saying that humans, such as Lysander, are capable of committing strange actions and saying strange things because of what they perceive as love. Mockery is used in the Wasps, the Frogs and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Aristophanes’ influence on Shakespeare is revealed through their use of the same humour device, mockery. Mocking is the ridicule of others for comedic effect. The texts concern the universal themes of restoration to old values, the role of the poet and the nature of entertainment.Ī Midsummer Night’s Dream, the Wasps and the Frogs are comedic plays which express serious messages of Shakespeare and Aristophanes through the use of humour devices such as mockery. Across all texts humour devices have been a tool for commanding the audience’s attention and to communicate similar messages through social commentary. Aristophanes has also indirectly influenced modern comedy in Pendleton Ward’s Adventure Time(2010), an animated television series. Aristophanes’ influence on the Elizabethan era (1558-1603) is clear in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. His comedic plays have significantly influenced comedy throughout time.
He reflected the meaning of Athenian identity and citizenship, as well as the decline of the Golden Age toward the end of the 4th century BC. Regarded by many as the Father of Comedy, Aristophanes used a range of humor devices in his plays, such as Wasps (422 BC), Frogs (405 BC), to provide socio-political satire, literary criticism and entertainment. 5th Century BC), a period of political hegemony, and survived the Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC) among other events that shaped the social and political messages behind his plays. He wrote during the Golden Age of Athens (c. Aristophanes (c.447-c.380 BC) was an ancient Athenian playwright and his plays are the extant example of Attic Old Comedy.