The Maculate Muse: Obscene Language in Attic Comedy by Jeffrey Henderson

By Jeffrey Henderson

The pervasive and unrestrained use of obscenity has lengthy been said as an enormous function of fifth-century Attic Comedy; no different Western artwork shape is based so seriously at the sexual and scatological dimensions of language. This acclaimed ebook, now in a brand new version, bargains either a accomplished dialogue of the dynamics of Greek obscenity and an in depth statement at the terminology itself.

After contrasting the bizarre features of the Greek idea of obscenity to modern day principles, Henderson discusses obscenity's function within the improvement of Attic Comedy, its old origins, forms, and dramatic functionality. His research of obscene terminology sheds new gentle on Greek tradition, and his dialogue of Greek homosexuality bargains a clean corrective to the idealized Platonic view. He additionally seems intimately on the half obscenity performs in every one of Aristophanes' 11 surviving performs. The latter a part of the e-book identifies the entire obscene terminology present in the extant examples of Attic Comedy, either whole performs and fragments. even if those terminological entries are prepared in numbered paragraphs comparable to a word list, they could even be learn as self sufficient essays at the a number of features of comedian obscenity. phrases are defined as they happen in every one person context and in terms of typologically comparable terminology. With newly corrected and up to date philological fabric, this moment version of Maculate Muse will function a useful reference paintings for the learn of Greek drama.

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It is to these backgrounds that we must now turn our attention. 29 The appearance of obscenity in cults and celebrations whose purpose is to promote fertility, make rain, initiate youths, celebrate multiple births, or mark other important occasions, is universal. 30 Whatever the reason, obscenity, usually restricted, is considered on these special oc29. Most of the evidence is given by H. Fluck, Skurrile Riten in griechischen Kulten (Endingen, 1931), although his conclusions, especially the one that all obscenity in cult is apotropaic, cannot be accepted.

Werke VI]. Obscene Language and the Development of Attic Comedy 11 obstacles imposed by civilized society could not be brought out openly. Moreover, we derive further pleasure from the presence of the third party in that (a) the third party enjoys our joke and (b) takes sides with us because of his enjoyment. That is, the pleasure derived by the third party from our joke makes him disinclined to examine the grounds of our aggressiveness dispassionately and in general disarms serious or critical thought.

See Hsch. v. ; Bartalucci (n. 80, above), pp. " 86. Full discussion in K. Latte, "Hipponacteum," Hermes 64 (1929): 384 ff. For this particular cure for impotence, see the remarks of Hopfner (n. 7, above), p. 269, and perhaps Aristophanes Frr. 24 ff. Obscene Language and the Development of Attic Comedy 23 and delight in sexual sadism. 87 Hipponax uses such comic placenames elsewhere: . 1) are puns referring to fellatio and parodying Homer's Calypso. 10) are all favorites in Old Comedy, and the picture of over fifty dung-beetles ( } swarming in a squadron toward the latrine where the perversion is taking place, sharpening their teeth for the attack, is quite Aristophanic in its grotesque exaggeration, and distinctly foreshadows the prologue to Peace.

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