Aristophanes: myth, ritual and comedy

This book places the plays of Aristophanes in their contemprary context, asking what aspects of Greek, and Athenian, culture these comedies brought into play for their original audiences It makes particular use of the structural analysis of Greek rituals and mythes to demonstrate how their meanings and functions can be used to interpret the play. This information is then used to suggest ways in which twentieth-century audiences may read the plays in terms of contemporary literary theories and concerns.