Abstract
This work analyzes the argumentative function of the explicit reference to the public in the Aristophanic comedies, focusing on the political plays of the period of Cleon. In our opinion, the express mention of the public is crucial to understand which are the positive characters in the play. There are three types of characters that usually have the privilege of mentioning the spectators: the comic heroes, the choir and the slaves favourable to the hero, who has the leading role in the opening scene of some comedies. In all the cases, it is a positive character, who acts as a spokesman for the enunciator-author or collaborates with the plan of the hero. On the contrary, the antagonistic characters do not enjoy this prerogative. This clear difference demonstrates that the resource has an intentional use and an argumentative function in the early comedy.
Highlights
This work analyzes the argumentative function of the explicit reference to the public in the Aristophanic comedies, focusing on the political plays of the period of Cleon
There are three types of characters that usually have the privilege of mentioning the spectators: the comic heroes, the choir and the slaves favourable to the hero, who has the leading role in the opening scene of some comedies
It is a positive character, who acts as a spokesman for the enunciator-author or collaborates with the plan of the hero
Summary
La comedia temprana de Aristófanes pone en escena el enfrentamiento entre un héroe cómico y su adversario. La crítica se ha cen trado en detectar los testimonios externos que demostrarían —o reb atirían— la influencia ejercida por la comedia sobre la opinión pública: entre los argumentos en favor de los efectos persuasivos de la comedia se cuentan, por ejemplo, la existencia de decretos para limitar la libertad de los com ediógrafos; en contra de esta posición, se ha destacado especialmente la adhesión popular que habrían conservado ciertos personajes históricos como Cleón, pese a los reiterados ataques de los comediógrafos. Este trabajo se propone demostrar que la mención explícita del público por parte de ciertos personajes desempeña una función argumentativa en la comedia de Aristófanes. Esta serie de comedias se caracteriza, además, por presentar dos personajes centrales enfrentados, que constituyen el núcleo de la pieza y el eje del debate político planteado en ella: en Acarnienses Por lo tanto, colabora con la estrategia persuasi-
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