To what extent do you think Aristophanes uses the relationship between Bdelycleon and Philocleon to make serious political

and social points in the Wasps? Aristophanes uses the relationship between Bdelycleon and Philocleon to make serious political and social points about Athens and its inhabitants. He uses comedy and serious dialogue to give his opinion about democracy and the law courts along with their positive and negative points. He uses a comedic court to reflect a contemporary legal case in an attempt to awaken the audience as to how they are being used by demagogues in democracy. But while the relationship between Bdelycleon and Philocleon is uses to make these points, the characters of the leader and the chorus also play an important part in enlightening the audience. When the audience is introduced to Philocleon, as a trialophile, he is immediately seen as eccentric and silly. His attempts to escape the house under a donkey and out of the chimney, create comedy but also shows us how Aristophanes views jurors: as silly old men who dont really understand the part that they play in the justice system. This is further emphasised by the role reversal between father and son with Bdelycleon acting more mature and in control while Philocleon acts the child whining about being kept away from the jury courts. With Philocleon representing jurors and the use of role reversal, Aristophanes is trying to show that through democracy, jurymen and therefore the people, care little for the outcome they give in the courts, only caring for the payment and sense of purpose jurors feel from taking part in the legal courts. Appearing at the courts each day gives each juror a sense of fulfilling their citizen duty, as can be seen in Xanthias description of Philocleon, but throughout the speech there is no mention of the part jurors play in the legal system: only the physical practices that take place in court. The sense of purpose that the jurors feel can be seen in the debate between Philocleon and Bdelycleon, with Aristophanes highlighting how jurors are used by demagogues like Cleon, making a strong political point to the audience. Philocleon makes the argument that jurors are like gods with people cowering at their power like they would to Zeus. People attempt to please them through bribes of money and present them with a performance if they give a person a favourable verdict. Even people like Cleon dont bother them but instead keeps them safe: We lie safely in his arms and he keeps the flies off us, makes a reference to Cleon raising the payment for jurors and so keeping them out of further poverty. Philocleon sees this as deference to the great power he holds as a juryman. Aristophanes uses this debate to contrast what a juryman sees and then what part they actually play in the whole scheme of Athens. He uses Bdelycleons response to shock the audience into really thinking about what they actually get out of being a juror. As Bdelycleon points out, their pay doesnt even amount to 10% of the Empires income, those in power (demagogues primarily) restrict the peoples lives while taking what they want without punishment. These valid points are sandwiched between the comedy of Philocleon proclaiming and then attempting to stab himself with his sword. We must remember that while trying to make serious points Aristophanes still wants to win the festival of Dionysus. This is further shown in Philocleons reaction as he realises how jurymen are used, no doubt reflecting some of the audiences reactions. With this in mind, Bdelycleon makes a fake trial for Philocleon to judge. In fact this fake trial is actually a metaphor for the contemporary trial of Laches and his Sicilian Expedition. Aristophanes uses comedy to convey the serious political points with Cleon and Laches represented as two dogs fighting over Sicilian cheese. Once again Aristophanes is trying to sway public opinion, this time in favour of Laches and against Cleon. First dog Gemma Goldsack AS Classical Civilisation

To what extent do you think Aristophanes uses the relationship between Bdelycleon and Philocleon to make serious political and social points in the Wasps? (Cleon) attempts to bring Philocleon to his side even before the trial has begun, licking Philocleons face as a bribe, just as Cleon did in real life by protecting the jurors. Aristophanes uses first dog to say what Cleon is really thinking: that Laches didnt share his hoard with Cleon and so should be punished, this not necessarily being what Cleon would say to the jury. First dog says, how can anyone claim to be serving your interests if I, The Dog, am not given my proper share? drawing Philocleon into believing that it is in his best interests to find Laches guilty, not because he really is guilty, but because they need Cleon to take care of them and protect them. This line draws the audience into seeing that the jury is actually led by Cleon into a verdict by guaranteeing them a better life if they find in Cleons favour, using it as a kind of political bribery. Bdelycleon is used to counter this by presenting a more personal defence, with Laches described as doing more actively for the people than Cleon has. Coupled with this, by using the mock trial Aristophanes easily emphasises Cleons greed whilst highlighting Laches innocence. Aristophanes then shows the audience what the jurymen should do: acquit Laches. He uses comedy to make this point, with the steady and sure Bdelycleon leading the unsure and outrageous Philocleon to drop his voting pebble in the not guilty urn, resulting in Philocleon fainting from the shock of not finding the accused guilty, accentuating once again the Philocleons habit of always finding someone guilty no matter the case. Similarly the juxtaposition of the two personalities serves to show the audience that the sensible thing to do is find Laches not guilty. Someone as eloquent and intelligent as Bdelycleon should be a role model whos advice should be followed, as is clearly presented to the audience. Just as Aristophanes uses Bdelycleon and Philocleon to make serious points, he also uses the leader and chorus. Throughout they provide humour and advice. In particular, the leader acts as a mouth piece for Aristophanes at different times during the play, even putting on a mask at the end of the play to make it obvious to the audience as to whose opinion it is. After mock trial, now swayed by Bdelycleons argument as the chorus was (representing the jurors and so the people), he draws the audiences attention to how Cleon mistreated him, just as Cleon has done to the jurors. He refers to the legal case brought against him for slandering Cleon in one of his previous plays, The Knights. The leader says, and sought to purge the land of grievous ills referring to Cleon and other demagogues as the grievous ills. Once again, Aristophanes is seeking to show the audience of Cleons corruption, though this failed in The Knights and Aristophanes is not quiet about pointing this out, the shame is yours for being so obtuse. Surely, this must have shocked some of the audience, as Aristophanes was hoping, into realising what he perceived Cleons character to be. Aristophanes uses the leader to make a further political point: that Athens has been built on the backs of the old men they are laughing at. With the chorus made up of old men and playing jurors he creates comedy. With this speech he tried to make the audience realise that they are laughing at the citys heroes: Its due to our exertions. He recites the victory over the Persians and how they built up the Empire to what it is now, though the young steal from this. He is endeavouring to remind the audience of their history, to make them have more pride in these old men and listen to them over youngsters like Cleon. Aristophanes uses role reversal in another way towards the end of the play by having Philocleon brought to court after Bdelycleons failed attempts at making Philocleon into a better sort of man. After damaging the stock of a baking woman and assaulting a citizen, Gemma Goldsack AS Classical Civilisation

To what extent do you think Aristophanes uses the relationship between Bdelycleon and Philocleon to make serious political and social points in the Wasps? Philocleon is told by each that he will be brought to court for his actions. No doubt Aristophanes is mixing humour with the message that no one is above the law. Using social situations he manages to convey this message probably in the hopes that people will remember that everyone is subject to the law, including the demagogues that they love and follow. Throughout the play, Aristophanes constantly insults Cleon, referencing his background, stinks like a tanners yard, referring to Cleons father being a tanner. And this is one of many such remarks using the characters of Xanthias and Bdelycleon, though he never has the chorus or the leader support them as this may be going too far in an attempt to slander Cleon as he did in The Knights. These little digs aim to lower Cleon in the peoples eyes and make him seem more like one of the common citizens, though he has much more wealth and power to ever be considered as one of them, but why then, does he have so much more? The chorus play an important part in emphasising the power of jurors. Referenced as wasps throughout, as well as wearing wasp costumes describes how the jurors act. They sting, are organised in swarms of 201 or 501 and are savage and irate and less easy to placate. When they feel wronged they punish no matter the evidence. Their sting is also described as being earned through defending Athens. They say that if a man hasnt defended his city then he doesnt deserve to get paid for jury duty, once again reminding the audience of how these old men built this glorious city that they now live in. In conclusion, Bdelycleon and Philocleon do make social and political points though the chorus and the leader are also used primarily to make the audience remember who built the city and that jurors do hold a lot of power. Political points are emphasised in the mock court trial with an attempt to sway the audience in Laches favour. However, we must keep I mind that this was a play written to entertain and win the festival of Dionysus. Not everything can be taken literally though some serious points do appear with the leader being a literal mouth piece for Aristophanes. With a mixture of comedy and serious points, Aristophanes manages to convey his opinions, mainly through Bdelycleon and Philocleon.

Gemma Goldsack AS Classical Civilisation