How Does Aristophanes impersonate real, contemporary characters in 'Knights'? What do you think the playwright gains from using the actors in this way?

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Elena Solaro 12E

How Does Aristophanes impersonate real, contemporary characters in 'Knights'? What do you think the playwright gains from using the actors in this way?

In his comic play, "Knights", Aristophanes parodies several contemporary characters. His main objective for writing the play was to launch an attack on Athenian politics and political leadership. He focuses particularly on certain members of the Athenian government, making a mockery of them, and holding them up to the ridicule of the audience.

Probably the most notable protagonist is Cleon, an Athenian demagogue. Cleon was a low born tanner, who earned his money through trade. This was something which the wealthy land-owning classes greatly looked down upon. In this play, Aristophanes uses representatives of the 'Knights', (a socially elite class who formed approximately the top 5% of the Athenian population) as his chorus. Naturally, the Knights were not very well disposed towards men like Cleon. Aristophanes, who also disliked Cleon intensely wished to portray his vulgar nature through the use of the Paphlagonian, a man who's character contrasts markedly with that of the average Knight. Although this witty ruse did not name Cleon directly, Aristophanes used his protagonist as substitute for the true identity of Cleon. The Paphlagonian has numerous undesirable characteristics, all of which are unmistakably reminiscent of those of Cleon. They are both extremely egotistical, and care only about their own popularity and success.  Demosthenes describes the way in which the Paphlagonian fawns upon Thepeople to ensure his position as 'favourite' politician and consequently safe guarding his power. He says "This tanner-fellow soon got to know the master's ways, then he fell at his feet, licked his boots, wheedled, flattered, sucked up, everything to take him in." This is just the sort of unscrupulous manner in which Cleon fooled the people of Athens into doing whatever he wanted. An example of this in the play occurs when the Paphlagonian flatters the Knights by announcing "I was just about to propose that in honour of your gallantry a public monument ought to be set up on the Acropolis!". Demosthenes also mentions the corrupt business in which the Paphlagonian participates, saying "he takes bribes, blackmails people, making everyone's teeth chatter."

The Paphlagonian is also referred to indirectly as a "brazen faced rogue", which clearly demonstrates Aristophanes' feelings towards Cleon. He attacks Cleon as a politician, by saying "you don't think politics is for the educated do you? Or the honest? It's for illiterate scum like you now!" This is a direct allusion to Cleon's low birth and uncouth character. Aristophanes also wished to highlight the devious and sly nature of Cleon. The chorus says of the Paphlagonian "take care he don't escape from you 'cos he knows all the back ways to get through!"

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In the play, the Paphlagonian is constantly referring to "when I sailed to Pylos" or, "the seat I won at Pylos", and the contemporary audience would have been fully aware of what Aristophanes was referring to here. During the Peloponnesian war, the Athenians besieged a number of the Spartan enemy on the island of Sphacteria. The Spartans, fearing the loss of several hundred men sent to representatives to Athens to negotiate peace. However, Cleon ensured that this peace mission failed. Cleon sailed to Sphacteria with a small force, and soon after his arrival the Athenian general Demosthenes, stormed the ...

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