1. Structure & Characters of the Wasps
Read the handout together.
Create a list of all of the characters mentioned.
Write all of the structure terms to memorise them.
Create a flow-chart of the play using only 4 points in each part of the flow.

2. * Young soldiers replace old soldiers
Prologue
In midst of Pelopponesian war, all the parties are divided: rich and poor, old and young
First scene: house with Bdelycleon, with his two slaves, Xanthias and Sosias – holds a ‘monster’ Philocleon. House covered with a hunting net
Philocleon is considered ‘sick’ and he represents the city
Cleon is pro-war and tried to get favour with the elderly (Philocleon likes to attack Cleon’s enemies)
Parados
* Young soldiers replace old soldiers
* Philocleon’s companions, old jurymen, collect Philocleon for jury service (the Wasps’ costumes )
* inter-city warfare
* Jury giving harsh punishments to insure their pay of 3 obols
Episodes after the Parados
* Bdelycleon considered a monarchist and enemy of democracy
* Wasps turn on Bdelycleon
* Bdelycleon fights the Wasps off

3. The Agon
* Debate between father and son about the system (jury and the courts, the city)
* Bdelycleon (feels father is duped by Cleon) against the system and Philocleon is for it (jury service makes him feel important and wanted)
* Bdelycleon wins the debate – Philocleon comes across as weak (fails to commit suicide)
After the Agon
* Philocleon still lusts after the courts
* So Bdelycleon, sets up a private court where the dog is tried for eating a whole cheese
* Aristophanes satirises the relationship between Laches and Cleon
Parabasis
* Chorus talks on behalf of Aristophanes (modern Herakles)
* Aristophanes takes on Cleon in order to save the city
* Chorus explains role as wasps: ex-Marathon Men stung the Persians and now sting the modern generation

4. Episodes after the Parabasis
* Bdelycleon tries to initiate father into fashionable, young society
* Philocleon has vitality, is a gritty old Marathon Man – makes fun of youngsters of today
* Philocleon must be tamed to help the city (but the city needs his honesty of its democratic roots)
Encounter scenes

5. Parts of the Wasps Prologue Parados Episodes after the Parados Agon
Episodes after the Agon (trial of the dog)
Parabasis
Episodes after the Parabasis (re-educating scene)
Second Parabasis
Encounter scene
Exodos

6. Main Parts of Comedies The parados: first entry of the chorus
The agon: debate or contest at centre of play, chorus takes part in play
The parabasis: chorus leader steps out of character to address audience (political, social, personal concerns) could be second parabasis (Wasps)
The exodos: exit of chorus & actors in scenes of dancing, singing, revelry

7. Aristophanes – What’s Funny?
Types of Humour:
Parody
Satire
Situational Comedy / Farce
Slapstick
Scatological / Toilet
Sexual
Verbal
Bathos

8. 1. Parody
Where a serious story / myth / character is ‘taken off’, or made fun of. Aristophanes particularly loved to parody the tragic poets that he shared the stage with.
Eg. The Odysseus Parody in the Prologue of Wasps
Also:
Procleon as ‘tragic hero’ from the Parodos through to the Agon:
- tragic singing
- attempt to stab himself

9. Eg. Xanthias and Sosias’ Dreams at the beginning of the Prologue
2. Satire
Where humour is used to provide a political or social message. Aristophanes used satire to point out to Athenians where he thought their values where wrong, or where politicians like Cleon were leading them astray.
Eg. Xanthias and Sosias’ Dreams at the beginning of the Prologue

10. 2. Satire
Where humour is used to make a political or social point. Aristophanes used satire to point out to Athenians where he thought their values where wrong, or where politicians like Cleon were leading them astray.
Other Examples:
Mocking drunkeness, gambling and homosexuality when the slaves try to get the crowd to guess what the problem is with Procleon.
The chorus appear as Wasps – jurors are nasty old men.
The Mock Battle – satirises Athens’ paranoia through the chorus’ reaction to Anticleon
The same episode satirises the older and younger generations (see notes on Old vs. Young)
Procleon’s speech in the Agon – points out corruption of jurymen

11. 3. Situational Comedy / Farce
Aristophanes uses ridiculous situations to poke fun and society. In the first part of the Wasps, this is through the ridiculous scenario of an old man addicted to jury duty.
Right: Still from a production of The Knights
4. Slapstick
This is Aristophanes most basic form of humour. It is straight physical comedy. Eg. Procleon’s attempts to escape and the Mock Battle between the chorus and Anticleon and the slaves.

12. 5. Scatological and Sexual Humour
The theatre provided an escape from the conventions of society, including politeness and appropriateness. Aristophanes played up to this by including all sorts of sexual innuendo (suggestive play on words) and coarse language and actions.

13. 6. Verbal Humour
This is the most common form of humour in Aristophanes’ plays. Puns / plays on words are scattered throughout the text. Eg. “Ship of state … Get launched” - Prologue
Tasks:
Find five examples of Sexual or Scatological humour from the text we have read so far.
Then find five examples of Verbal Humour.

14. 7. Bathos
Bathos is when a scene or speech has a sudden change of mood from serious to silly. In Aristophanes, bathos was frequently also satirical, or scatological.
Examples – finish these quotes (all by Procleon):
1. “Blow on me with thy breathe divine…
2. “And now lend your aid divine…
3. “Speed, speed my soul!
… and serve with vinegar and brine.”
… and I’ll promise not to piddle in the reeds around your shrine.”
… Where is my soul?”

15. Next lesson We will begin reading the Wasps:
Don’t forget to bring it 