“Pleasing Greeks and… Greeks”. Aristophanes and his audience(s)

Abstract

The audience plays a fundamental role in dramatic representation and Aristophanes soon became aware of the importance of this collective element for the success – or failure – of a play. Sensitive to the heterogeneity of the consumer of comic art, the one who is for us the representative of Ancient Comedy made use of several strategies to turn his spectators into a sophisticated and critical audience. In this article, we will focus on this process, that of “educating” citizens through theatre and for theatre. In this context, Aristophanes assumes a relevant role, committed as he is to a comedy that he intends to be political and didactic.