Point of View

These works are, of course, meant to be plays and not merely works of literature. Hence the point of view is from the audience's perspective. Interestingly, Aristophanes, though presenting a drama to an audience often breaks the "fourth wall" by addressing the audience directly. This was common, at least for the chorus, Aristophanes though uses his non-chorus characters to address the audience in various ways. This technique is jarring and reminds the audience that they are seeing a play not witnessing a real event. For one reason or another though, this technique can sometimes make satire more effective because it will train the audience to look for hidden and ironic meanings in what the players say and do. Once the poet addresses the audience directly, we know that the play is vehicle of dramatic content rather than a recreation of life, we are apt to realize...