Guide Note

The Clouds is a tragic comedy by Greek playwright Aristophanes. The play begins with the Athenian Strepsiades, unable to sleep and complaining about how his son Pheidippides's addiction to horse racing and material goods has put him into debt. He begs his son to enroll in a school where he will be taught by Socrates on how to beat his creditors in court. His son refuses to go to the school so Strepsiades enrolls in the school himself.

School and Aftermath

Once at the school the play becomes increasingly satirical, students study while bending over so that they can study geology with their faces and astronomy with their backside. Socrates requires Strepsiades to take off his clothes in order to enter the school and then steals the clothes. Strepsiades leaves the school and has his son enroll. Strepsiades is able to use his knowledge of the school to make his creditors go away, but he and his son get into a physical fight about traditional poetry. The play ends with Strepsiades setting the school on fire.

Fast Facts

1. Written by Aristophanes
2. Satirizes the sophists and intellectual ideas of Athens
3. A satirical and tragic comedy play
4. Was rewritten after initial poor reception
5. Some scholars believe it contributed to support for Socrates execution
6. Portrayal of Socrates conflicts with other historical sources
7. Written before 427 B.C.
8. First performed at the Festival of the City Dionysia
9. Major theme is relationship between education and daily life
10. Major symbol is the clouds

Quotations

1. ""Damn your quarts, you stupid peasant. Let's try rhythms, perhaps you'll understand better. I will if they'll help me sell my corn." — Socrates and Strepsiades
2. "Great gods! will these nights never end? will daylight never come? I heard the cock crow long ago and my slaves are snoring still! Ah! 'twas not so formerly. Curses on the War! has it not done me ills enough?" — Strepsiades
3. " All you men out there my age, it seems to me he’s arguing what’s right. And in my view, we should concede to these young sons what’s fair. It’s only right that we should cry in pain when we do something wrong." — Strepsiades