Clouds And Women At Thesmophoria Essay

The late 5th, early 4th centuries, in Athens were an eventful and emotional time for civilians. Between wars and the political debates of the time, civilians were fearful and anxious over the uncertainty of their government. To their advantage, they had games and other forms of entertainment, such as western theater to distract them from the outside world. Aristophanes was one of many playwrights to write comedy and satire plays, specifically Clouds and Women at the Thesmophoria are said to be the best explanation of Aristophanes concerns on contemporary Athens.
Throughout the years of the 5th and 4th centuries civilians were faced with many economic plights. While European and Asian civilizations lead a barbarian style life, people of Athens formed in unity. The government, on the other hand, varied differently as those of Sparta led a more oligarchical form of

government while Athens led a democracy. Most of the civilians face moods of fear and anxiety over the lacking ways of government and the constant war between the Persian War and the Peloponnesian Wars. The Persian War, fought between Sparta and Athens, began in 499 B.C. to see which side would win primacy over mainland Greece. "The wars with Persia had effectively ceased by 449 B.C., when there may have been a formal peace treaty between the Athenians and the Great King." Following the Persian War, from 431B.C to 494B.C. contained the Peloponnesian War, fought from Sicily to Hellespont. "The Athenians attempted to invade Sicily which resulted in total defeat. Later, Asia Minor and Persia conjoined which led Athens to have no choice but to surrender."
Aristophanes is widely known for the eleven comedic plays that began in 425 B.C. and lasted until 388 B.C. However, the eleven plays we are aware of are just a fraction of the approximation total of forty plays he is said to have written. His work had made such a large impact on civilians that out of nearly fifty other comic dramatists, Aristophanes was the only one whose plays have survived time. His later plays, Clouds, and Women at the Thesmophoria, were noticed and praised by more people as they had less political content. Aristophanes lived and wrote throughout the rather difficult times of the wars and governmental problems. This gives us a good idea of how life was for civilians at this time. Aristophanes inspired others to write about fantasies and was the beginning of all future comedy.
Focusing back to two of Aristophanes later plays, Clouds and Women at Thesmophoria, which is "arguable, in fact, the least politically engaged of all Aristophanes' surviving works." Through Clouds, Aristophanes shows concerns of contemporary Athens through moral intent which is symbolized by the chorus of the clouds.

People are troubled and in need to get out of their debts, this can relate back to civilians of Athens as they are troubled with their fears of the warfare going on around them. At the end of Clouds, Aristophanes "leaves his protagonist with the same problem he started with." Civilians of Athens may go to plays for their entertainment, but at the end of the day, there are still revolving unsolved problems. Aristophanes focused on the Athenians as they were going through a hard time, Clouds, and never-ending debts, can arguably be compared to Athenians and their never-ending problems with economic factors. Both plays relate to Athenian civilians and are able to show through fantasy what a possible "perfect world" could be. Aristophanes writes to provide relief to civilians of the

time.
Throughout the years of the 5th and 4th centuries, civilians struggled with balancing their lives through emotions. They had to take into account that there was a constant battle over primacy of mainland Greece and changes within the government which led to a great amount of stress. This led to the need for releasement through entertainment. Aristophanes wrote nearly forty comedic plays which each related to the civilians of the time, whether it was through reality or fantasy. Though at times the plays were able to be represented, they "left us with a rather unbalanced impression of his personal output," but also gave great insight into controversies and quandary of the time.