Events

The Thinker: Aristophanes’ Clouds and the Comedy of Contemplation

by David Williams

Abstract: In this talk, I will consider the significance of Aristophanes’ Clouds as what I call a “comedy of contemplation,” a play that in its mocking portrayal of “the Thinker” Socrates, offers an implicit critique of the pursuit of knowledge as an end in itself. After introducing my interpretation of the play, I will present two case studies for how this comedy of contemplation can fruitfully be read as part of a continuing discourse about the nature and value of intellectual activity, a discourse developed above all by Plato and Aristotle as they sought to define and defend the contemplative way of life that they called “philosophy.” By interpreting the Clouds in this intellectual context, we will be in a better position to appreciate the particular value of the comedy as a document of classical intellectual history, one that can and should be read as engaging with ethical issues that are central to the subsequent Platonic-Aristotelian tradition.

Reception to follow

Open to the Public

For accommodations and other requests, contact Megan Swartz (swartzm@uchicago.edu

Nigel Smith is the William and Annie S. Paton Foundation Professor of Ancient and Modern Literature at Princeton University