Nonsense and Meaning in Ancient Greek Comedy

This book employs the concept of 'nonsense' to explore those parts of Greek comedy perceived as 'just silly' and therefore 'not meaningful'.

List of contents

Introduction; 1. Greek notions of nonsense; 2. Nonsense as 'no-reference': riddles, allegories, metaphors; 3. Nonsense as 'no-serious-sense': the case of Cinesias; 4. Nonsense as 'no-sense': jokes, puns, and language play; 5. Playing it straight: comedy's 'nonsense!' accusations; Conclusions.

About the author

Stephen E. Kidd is Assistant Professor in Classics at Brown University, Rhode Island. He has published articles on Greek comedy as well as other topics like ancient dreams and games. His research interests center broadly around the role of play in ancient life and how such play affects modes of interpretation and evaluation.

Summary

This book employs the ancient Greek concept of 'nonsense' to explore an observation that has vexed comic scholarship: although comedy can be meaningful (i.e. contain political opinions, moral sentiments and aesthetic tastes), some part is just 'foolery' or 'fun'. It is important for all scholars and students of Greek comedy.

Product details

• Authors: Stephen Kidd, Stephen E Kidd, Stephen E. Kidd, Stephen E. (Brown University Kidd, Kidd Stephen E.
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press ELT
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 12.06.2014
• EAN: 9781107050150
• ISBN: 978-1-107-05015-0
• No. of pages: 213
• Subjects: Fiction > Poetry, drama; Humanities, art, music > History > Antiquity; European History, HISTORY / Ancient / General, Ancient Greece, Greece, Theatre Studies, Literary studies: classical, early & medieval, Ancient History, Ancient (Classical) Greek, Literary studies: ancient, classical and medieval, BCE to c 500 CE, BCE period – Protohistory, Classical Greek & Roman archaeology, Literary studies: plays and playwrights