42 pages 1 hour read

Aristophanes

The Birds

Fiction | Play | Adult | BCE

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Before You Read

Roundup icon

Super Short Summary

The Birds by Aristophanes follows Peisetairos and Euelpides, two Athenians who leave their city to live among the birds, hoping to escape the frustrations of Athenian life. They persuade the birds to build a city, Cloudcuckooland, to gain power over the cosmos, leading to a confrontation with the gods and the establishment of a new divine order.

Reviews & Readership

Roundup icon

Review Roundup

Aristophanes' The Birds has been praised for its imaginative plot and humorous social critique, highlighting the playwright's wit and creativity. However, some critics find the narrative meanders and the political satire overly subtle. The play's fantastical elements and innovative humor solidify its standing as a captivating yet divisive classic.

Who should read this

Who Should Read The Birds?

An ideal reader for Aristophanes' The Birds appreciates classical Greek literature, satire, and political critique. Comparable to fans of Aristophanes' Lysistrata and Plautus' comedies, they enjoy humor laced with societal commentary. This audience often also enjoys the works of Shakespeare and Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels.

Recommended

Reading Age

18+years

Book Details

Topics

Animals

Politics / Government

Genre

Play: Comedy / Satire

Fantasy

Period

Ancient Greece

Classical Period

Themes

Society: Community

Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Values/Ideas: Power & Greed