Sexy Mutes on the Aristophanic Stage
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Giuseppe Mastromarco
Abstract
In seven of Aristophanes’ comedies (Acharnians, Knights, Wasps, Peace, Birds, Lysistrata, Thesmophoriazusae), one or more beautiful sexy mutes play active roles on the stage. Authoritative scholars maintain that these characters appear completely nude. On the base of a detailed textual analysis, I argue that: (a) Dardanis (in Wasps), Theoria (in Peace), Reconciliation (in Lysistrata), Fawn (in Thesmophoriazusae) were indeed completely nude; (b) the two prostitutes (in Acharnians), Thirty-Year-Truce (in Knights), Procne (in Birds) wore skimpy clothing; (c) Opora (in Peace), Princess (in Birds) wore bridal dresses.
Abstract
In seven of Aristophanes’ comedies (Acharnians, Knights, Wasps, Peace, Birds, Lysistrata, Thesmophoriazusae), one or more beautiful sexy mutes play active roles on the stage. Authoritative scholars maintain that these characters appear completely nude. On the base of a detailed textual analysis, I argue that: (a) Dardanis (in Wasps), Theoria (in Peace), Reconciliation (in Lysistrata), Fawn (in Thesmophoriazusae) were indeed completely nude; (b) the two prostitutes (in Acharnians), Thirty-Year-Truce (in Knights), Procne (in Birds) wore skimpy clothing; (c) Opora (in Peace), Princess (in Birds) wore bridal dresses.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Acknowledgements V
- Contents VII
- List of Figures IX
- Introduction to Page and Stage 1
- Dramatic Space and Theatrical Meaning: The Case of Sophocles’ Antigone 5
- The Inference of Staging from Deictics, with some Pointers towards Sophocles’ Trachiniae 29
- Divinity on the Classical Greek Stage: Proposing a New Model 45
- Victory Ritual and the Performance of Victory in Aristophanes’ Exodoi 65
- Some Staging Issues and Their Consequences in Aristophanes’ Clouds 83
- Sexy Mutes on the Aristophanic Stage 97
- Pseudartabas and the Persian Eunuchs in Aristophanes’ Acharnians: Textual and Staging Problems 115
- Poetics of Props: On Aristophanes, Acharnians 393–489 131
- Comic Fragments and Lost Dramatic Scenes: Some Considerations 137
- Dramaturgical Memory and Virtual Theatre in the Scholia to Aristophanes’ Frogs 147
- No, They Didn’t Write Stage Instructions, but… 167
- List of Contributors 173
- Index Locorum 177
- Index Rerum 181
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Acknowledgements V
- Contents VII
- List of Figures IX
- Introduction to Page and Stage 1
- Dramatic Space and Theatrical Meaning: The Case of Sophocles’ Antigone 5
- The Inference of Staging from Deictics, with some Pointers towards Sophocles’ Trachiniae 29
- Divinity on the Classical Greek Stage: Proposing a New Model 45
- Victory Ritual and the Performance of Victory in Aristophanes’ Exodoi 65
- Some Staging Issues and Their Consequences in Aristophanes’ Clouds 83
- Sexy Mutes on the Aristophanic Stage 97
- Pseudartabas and the Persian Eunuchs in Aristophanes’ Acharnians: Textual and Staging Problems 115
- Poetics of Props: On Aristophanes, Acharnians 393–489 131
- Comic Fragments and Lost Dramatic Scenes: Some Considerations 137
- Dramaturgical Memory and Virtual Theatre in the Scholia to Aristophanes’ Frogs 147
- No, They Didn’t Write Stage Instructions, but… 167
- List of Contributors 173
- Index Locorum 177
- Index Rerum 181
