You're in for a good time reading The Clouds, since it's not short on the silly factor. Of course, there's a serious point amid all that humor: Aristophanes is trying to show how foolish Socrates and his philosophies (and the people who follow them) are… but hey, there's no reason that critique can't be funny and filthy, right?
That's how Aristophanes seems to feel anyway, and the result is lots of potty and sex-related humor as we watch the characters embrace their own ridiculousness (until, well, circumstances force them not to, as is the case with Strepsiades).
Questions About Foolishness and Folly
- Do you think that the filthy humor and overall light tone add to or take away from the play's overall critique of Socrates and his ideas? Does the humor work or distract?
- In particular, why do you think there's so much vulgar humor? Why do you think the author draws on that particular kind of ha-ha to make his point?
- Are there any non-foolish characters in the play? If so, who are they and how do you feel about them?
- Does the foolishness/folly of certain characters soften your attitude toward them, or make you more critical of their behavior?
Chew on This
The fact that Strepsiades comes off as unintelligent makes us less inclined to focus on his behavior/morals and more likely to home in on Socrates's failings—after all, he's the jerk who's taking advantage of this guy.
The foolish and ridiculous behavior that characters like Strepsiades and Pheidippides engage in make us less inclined to be sympathetic toward them/their actions, since they embrace/revel in their ignorance (except when they want a particular piece of knowledge to suit their very specific, selfish ends).