| Author |
Aristophanes, 447? BCE-386? BCE |
| Translator |
Hickie, W. J. |
| Title |
The Clouds
|
| Note |
Reading ease score: 82.3 (6th grade). Easy to read.
|
| Credits |
Produced by An Anonymous Volunteer, and David Widger
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| Summary |
"The Clouds" by Aristophanes is a comedic play written during the classical period of ancient Greece. It satirizes the philosophical teachings of Socrates and the Sophists, exploring themes of education, morality, and the absurdity of contemporary Athenian society. The main character, Strepsiades, is an indebted father who seeks to avoid paying his debts by enrolling in Socratic teachings and learning to argue unjust causes. The opening of "The Clouds" introduces us to Strepsiades, who is tormented by sleeplessness and the weight of his debts due to his extravagant son, Phidippides. In his desperation, Strepsiades devises a plan to persuade his son to seek help from Socrates and his followers, who claim to have the ability to win arguments regardless of truth. This sets up a comedic conflict between traditional values and the dishonest rhetorical tactics of the new thinkers. Throughout the opening scenes, we see the contrasting perspectives of father and son, as Strepsiades longs for a return to simple living, while Phidippides is enamored with a lavish lifestyle. Their struggles encapsulate the broader critique of society’s moral decline at the hands of sophistry and misguided education. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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| Language |
English |
| LoC Class |
PA: Language and Literatures: Classical Languages and Literature
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| Subject |
Classical literature
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| Subject |
Comedies
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| Subject |
Greek drama (Comedy) -- Translations into English
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| Subject |
Aristophanes -- Translations into English
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| Subject |
Rhetoric -- Study and teaching -- Drama
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| Category |
Text |
| EBook-No. |
2562 |
| Release Date |
Mar 1, 2001 |
| Most Recently Updated |
Jan 24, 2013 |
| Copyright Status |
Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads |
844 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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