Transcript Dionysus
2006c- ARISTOPHANES’ COMEDIES • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Euripides [triumphantly]: ‘He seized his mighty bludgeon, ribbed with iron.’ Aeschylus [triumphantly]: ‘Chariot on chariot, corpse on corpse was piled Dionysus He’s licked you again. Euripides I don’t see why. Dionysus All those chariots and corpses – a hundred Egyptians couldn’t lift that lot. Aeschylus As far as I’m concerned, this line against line business is too easy by far. Let Euripides get into the pan himself, with his children, and his wife, not forgetting Cephisophon (the gossip of the day was that he was her lover) of whom we have heard so much, and the whole of his collected works into the bargain. I undertake to outweigh the whole lot with to lines of mine. Dionysus You know, I like them both so much I don’t know how to judge between them. I don’t want to make an enemy of either. One of them is so clever, and the other is so good, don’t you think? Pluto [sepulchrally] In that case you’ve rather been wasting your time down here, haven’t you? Dionysus Well, supposing I do make a choice? Pluto You can take one of them back with you: whichever you prefer. No point in coming all this way for nothing. Dionysus Bless you! Well listen you two. I came down here for a poet. Euripides What do you want a poet for? Dionysus To save the city of course. If the city isn’t saved, there won’t be any more drama festivals, and then where shall I be? Now, whichever of you think of the best advice to give the Athenians, he’s the one I’ll take back with me. Now here’s my first question: what should be done about Alcibiades? Athens is in a very tricky situation, you know. (a) (i) Of what is Dionysus the god? (ii) Which god was he disguised as earlier in the play? Ques Evidence tion (a) (i) Drama / Theatre / Wine (ii) Heracles Achievement Mer Exc BOTH parts are required. (b) (i) Where is Dionysus at this point in the play? (ii) Why has he gone there? Question Evidence b (i) The Underworld (ii) To bring back a (dead) poet / writer / tragedian / Euripides (to save the city). Achieve BOTH parts are required. Mer Exc c) (i) Give the Greek term for the part of the play from which this extract is taken. (ii) Explain the dramatic convention that requires Dionysus’ slave, Xanthias, to be off the stage. Que Evidence (c) (i) Agon (ii) Only three / four speaking actors were ‘available’ to the poet at one time / Xanthias would be taking one of the other roles. Achievement Mer Exc (d) Explain in detail the reference to Cephisophon (lines 9–10). Ques Evidence tion (d) (Aristophanes makes fun of Euripides since) Cephisophon was rumoured to have had an affair with Euripides’ wife / to have helped to write his plays. Achieve Mer Exc e) Explain fully what Dionysus is referring to when he says “Athens is in a very tricky situation, you know” (line 30). You must make TWO points, supporting your answers with historical facts. Q Evidence u (e) Eg:•in 405 BC the Spartans were permanently camped in Attica / shortly before the play’s performance the Spartans had marched up to the city walls •the Battle of Arginusae had been costly for Athens, because of a storm following the battle in which Athenian survivors were not picked up / 50 enemy ships got away / 12 Athenian ships had been abandoned •internal political conflict had arisen when the Assembly executed, illegally, six of the eight commanders at Arginusae •Athens had come under the control of the extreme democrats whose leaders were not men of great stature •the freeing of the slaves who rowed at Arginusae caused social upheaval and gave more power to the extreme democrats •citizens exiled for their participation in the Oligarchic Revolution of 411 BC remained unavailable to assist the city, despite the shortage of worthy leaders •economically, funds were running out and even the coinage had been debased •they need Alcibiades, who has gone to help the Spartans •they turned down the Spartan peace project after Arginusae •they were losing the Peloponnesian War at the time of the play. Mer TWO sympto ms describ ed fully are require d . (f (i) Explain fully Euripides’ response, in the lines following this extract, to Dionysus’ question about Alcibiades (line 29). You must make TWO points and provide evidence from the play to support your answer. (ii) Explain fully Aeschylus’ response, in the lines following this extract, to Dionysus’ question about Alcibiades (line 29). You must make TWO points and provide evidence from the play to support your answer. Qu Evidence (f) (i) Euripides’ response eg: •what did the Athenian people think about it themselves •Alcibiades has the brains needed, but only when planning his own escape •he has the quickness needed, but only when harming others •he is useless when the city is in a scrape. (TWO points needed.) (ii) with him. Aeschylus’ response eg •he compares Alcibiades to a lion’s whelp •the whelp is being reared within the city walls •the city should therefore learn to tolerate its ways •the city should have Alcibiades back and learn to get on Mer TWO parts fully answered are required. (g) (i) Explain fully what Euripides and Aeschylus are trying to achieve when they quote lines from their plays at the beginning of this extract (lines 1–2). Provide evidence from the extract to support your answer. Qu Evidence Exc (g) (i) They are trying to see whose lines are heavier by weighing them. Euripides aims to prove that his lines weigh more because a bludgeon with iron is very heavy; whereas Aeschylus believes that chariots and corpses are heavier / Aeschylus wants to show that lines about death weigh more because of their seriousness or gravity. FOUR points fully answer ed are require d. g (ii) (ii) Discuss in detail the ways in which the activities in this part of the play (the literary debate) might have been staged to amuse the audience. You must make THREE points. Provide evidence from the play to support your answer. Qu Evidence Exc (g) Eg• The presence of scale, rulers and yardsticks on the stage to weigh the verse would have provided visual humour. • The physical presence of a Chair in the Underworld for the best tragic poet might amuse the spectators. • Presenting the literary debate to establish the best poet in Hades as a battle between playwrights might allow for slapstick / comic business. • Aeschylus, Euripides and Dionysus would all be garbed in padded tights with a large phallus attached, to provide for visual humour. • The actors would be wearing masks to identify the role played and assist in identification from a distance. The masks might distort facial features in a grotesque way. (Other answers possible.) FOUR points fully answere d are required. Three aspects must be discussed in detail with a clear link to amusement / entertainment, plus evidence from the play.