Between theater and democracy: The representation of the feminine in Aristophanes’ Comedies

Abstract

In Classical Athenian society, we find the definition of some social roles imputed to men and women, roles closely linked to the notions of gender of the period. Such definition was supported by a masculinized logic that permeated all activities - public and private - of the Athenian polis. However, despite this logic, we envision the representation of the female acting in Aristophanes' comedies, and also interlaced with more fluid and heterogeneous identity marks compared to those consecrated by historiography. In other words, the comic writer inserted active women in his plays, presenting another possible model of behavior in Athenian society, as well as a positive view of such women, especially the legitimate wives. In this article, we intend to discuss the construction of female characters by the comic writer, with special attention to married women, as well as to problematize the gender identities built in Classical Athens and manifested by the poet in his comedies.