Aristophanes' The Birds

Aristophanes' The Birds is a comedy, but it does make a number of philosophical statements about the human condition, particularly the inability of human beings to accept reality for what it is. Instead, almost every character in the play (not only human but also bird and god) is shown to be dissatisfied with his or her lot in life and seeks to create a better city or world. The world turns out not to be better, but worse than the reality each seeks to escape. While Aristophanes, from his satirical perspective, may handle some characters more tenderly than others, all are skewered in one way or another as deluded or self-deluded, as alienated from reality. No character is happy and contented with his or her lot, but instead believes that there is some way to control others or otherwise exercise power in order to win that elusive happiness.

The two main characters are Pithetaerus and Euelpides, "Footloose" and "Footsore," and their adventures seeking the better life and the perfect city serve as the heart and soul of the play. They enter the play carrying birds, which they believe will lead them to that better life. Euelpides says to the crow, "Listen, bird. You're supposed to be guiding us. But all we do is go backwards and sideways, We haven't got that kind of time" (84). The crow responds by biting Euelpides.

In fact, the two characters were "going backwards and sideways" before they "went to the birds," and they will be going backwards and sideways throughout

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umerous serious complaints the two men have about that fine city is in part due to the playwrights desire to create a comic effect, but part is also due to the characters' lack of self-awareness. They are being led by birds to what they believe will be utopia, a sign of their exaggerated foolishness, and the conflicting statements about Athens add to the portrait of their contradictory natures. Basically, Aristophanes' philosophy of human nature is negative, but he presents it in such an ironic way that the audience laughs, recognizing themselves, whether in Athens over two thousand years ago or in the modern world. Again, the key to Aristophanes' critical portrait of humankind is the fact that the audience sees the play as an exaggerated reflection of themselves. When one reads the following exchange between Epops, the King of the Birds, and Euelpides, it brings to mind modern ironic humor in which city folk "rough it" on a camping trip by bringing with them an 8-inch TV instead of an 18-inch: Epops: What sort of city would please you? Euelpides: . . . A city where the following would be the most important business transacted--Some friend would come banging on your door at a reasonable hour in the morning, and say: "Get

Category: Literature - A