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Lesson 1 (from The Acharnians, Part 1)

Objective

The Acharnians, Part 1

As Dikaiopolis waits for the assembly in Athens, he recounts a few plays he witnessed, and how much he enjoyed them. This is a device Aristophanes uses to his advantage, called "framing," or setting a metaphorical portrait around the play that the audience is actually watching. It helps the audience understand and make sense of what is happening, as well as set the tone for the following action. This lesson will address the concept of framing.

Lesson

1) Group or Partner Discussion: What could Aristophanes hope to gain from the character Dikaiopolis recounting positive theatre experiences during the opening monologue of the play? How else could he have accomplished this, if not a direct reference to theatre? How would you have framed a highly political play meant to be a comedy in Ancient Greece? In America today?

2) Everyone Give an Example: Frames have been...

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