Aristophanes 'Wasps': Play Analysis

In the play Wasps, Aristophanes tried to show the audience the futility of war. Fifth Century B.C. Athens had its fair share of political leaders, some, like the great Pericles, were very good leaders while others were depicted throughout history as horribly, cruel people. But, Aristophanes particularly despised the demagogue Cleon. This was the reason why most of Aristophanes plays focused on degrading Cleon. Aristophanes believed that politicians such as Cleon used conflict to get richer and, he was convinced that the concept of fighting a war for someone like Cleon, was pointless, which is why he kept showing its futility throughout the play by constantly berating Cleon. Aristophanes was sure that all Cleon wanted was for the war between …show more content…
In the Elizabethan era play Henry IV Part One, written by William Shakespeare in 1597, a similar message was addressed toward the audiences. Even Shakespeare knew the futility of war. This was the reason why even he tried to educate the masses on the idiocrasy involved within the concept of war. A prime example of this is a character by the name of Hotspur. Hotspur is an old fashioned noble, who is obsessed with gaining honour. In fact, you could say that he is a bit fanatical about the concept because, he believes that the only way for true honour to be earned, is by killing another man in war. He believes that the only way for true honour to be earned, is by killing another man during war. This was the mind-set of the nobles in his generation. In Act II, Scene III of Henry IV Part One, Hotspur is arguing with his wife, Lady Percy and, he “angrily insults her, saying that he does not love her and that this is no world for womanly thoughts or for love. Instead, he declares, there must be war and fighting.” The actual quote goes; “Away, you trifler! …show more content…
This example is also a great depiction of the gap between the social classes in the Elizabethan era. The upper class had complete control over the lower classes. The use of this scene is very similar to how in the play, Wasps, Aristophanes depicts to the audience how leaders like Cleon, gained from the deaths of their people in the war between Athens and Sparta. In the modern comedy, Blackadder Goes Forth the emphasis on the futility of war was also a main theme. Primarily because the show is based during World War One, multiple humour devices have been used throughout the series to emphasize the futility of war. An example of this is episode four, (Private Plane), where Blackadder says to one of his comrades “For us, the Great war is finito, a war which would be a damn sight simpler if we just stayed in England and shot fifty thousand of our men a week.” What he is saying is that it is useless sending men to their death, as it is has no effect at all on the war. This accentuates the fact that in the middle of the war, the death toll was higher than what they actually gained by fighting in the