The Birds

How is the Hoopoe characterized, and why do you think Aristophanes chose to make him the ruler of the birds? Consider the myth of Tereus, which Aristophanes spoofs in his depiction of the Hoopoe. What is his significance in the play?

Analyze the character of Peisetairos. How do his characterization and character arc contribute to the play’s narrative and its key themes?

In what ways do Cloudcuckooland and its bird inhabitants resemble humans and human society? Can the play be read as a satire of human behavior? Why or why not?

How is religion depicted in the play? How do the characters conceive of divinity, immortality, and the authority of the divine? How do the birds conform to, or subvert, traditional ideas about deities?

What is the significance of the alazon or impostor episodes?

Compare and contrast the three members of the embassy the gods send to negotiate with Cloudcuckooland. How do each of these figures contribute to the humor of the play?

What does Peisetairos’s triumph at the end of the play suggest about the nature of the gods and their relationship to human beings and birds? Do you think that Peisetairos’s triumph represents a triumph of the birds, a triumph of humanity, or neither?

How does the Chorus develop throughout the play? How does the founding of Cloudcuckooland affect them? How do their motivations and behavior compare with that of the human and/or divine characters?