persephonedreaming's review against another edition
The play is delightful, Aristophanes touches much that is poignant in the modern day. The translation by William James Hickey was awful. It was tedious and hard to read. I switched the translation by BB Rogers, and the difference was palpable. Whereas Hickey translated everyone with Roman names, Rogers used the Greek. Hickey did a prose translation and Rogers a poetic translation. I will likely pick up the Loeb edition one day and have a far better understanding of what is going on with these translations linguistically.
casparb's review against another edition
4.0
I'm having a quality time with Aristophanes. Impeccably bizarre vibes. The insight into Grecian litcrit is something worth pondering also.
Are there contemporary reimaginings of this? The narrative framework here is fantastic, and I think could be reworked with interesting results.
Are there contemporary reimaginings of this? The narrative framework here is fantastic, and I think could be reworked with interesting results.
spacestationtrustfund's review against another edition
1.0
This review is of the translation by Ian Johnston (monolingual edition).
If there's a bilingual version available, I don't know why a monolingual edition would even be published. Don't bother with this version; get the bilingual text if you must.
If there's a bilingual version available, I don't know why a monolingual edition would even be published. Don't bother with this version; get the bilingual text if you must.
elenavarg's review against another edition
Had to read this (several times over and several different translations) for university. Although I’m not a fan on reading plays, this one made me chuckle several times.
rubyrush's review
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
kinginthedork's review against another edition
3.0
very meta but a bit too liberal with the translation i feel
urlphantomhive's review against another edition
4.0
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
All year I've been reading one of the Little Black Classics each week, with different levels of success. Going into The Frogs, I has no idea what to expect.
It turned out to be a play (I like plays), and as such a Greek comedy. I've in school studied some Greek theater, but these were always the famous tragedies. So, I was very glad to see a comedy that also survived the times.
Dionysus is looking for a poet in order to motivate the Athenians but unfortunately al good playwrights have died, so he has to travel to the underworld and fetch one. When he arrives he happens upon both Euripides and Aeschylus who are fighting over who is the better poet. Dionysus will have to make the decision.
The play is silly. But so are all (good) comedies. I have to say I liked reading it a lot. It had a modern feel to it (for as far as possible, because the Chorus remains a strange thing to me), with fourth-wall-breaks and a commentary on plays in general I would almost consider post-modern. What also helped, I'm sure, is that the translation felt modern. (I'm wondering how much of the original the translator sacrificed for readability).
Either way, it was a witty play with a Chorus of Frogs, and I was thinking, if they are putting on this play, I would definitely like to see it.
~Little Black Classics #101~
All year I've been reading one of the Little Black Classics each week, with different levels of success. Going into The Frogs, I has no idea what to expect.
It turned out to be a play (I like plays), and as such a Greek comedy. I've in school studied some Greek theater, but these were always the famous tragedies. So, I was very glad to see a comedy that also survived the times.
Dionysus is looking for a poet in order to motivate the Athenians but unfortunately al good playwrights have died, so he has to travel to the underworld and fetch one. When he arrives he happens upon both Euripides and Aeschylus who are fighting over who is the better poet. Dionysus will have to make the decision.
The play is silly. But so are all (good) comedies. I have to say I liked reading it a lot. It had a modern feel to it (for as far as possible, because the Chorus remains a strange thing to me), with fourth-wall-breaks and a commentary on plays in general I would almost consider post-modern. What also helped, I'm sure, is that the translation felt modern. (I'm wondering how much of the original the translator sacrificed for readability).
Either way, it was a witty play with a Chorus of Frogs, and I was thinking, if they are putting on this play, I would definitely like to see it.
~Little Black Classics #101~
sofrosune's review against another edition
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Attention: This play is NOT about frogs.
Atención: Esta obra de teatro no se trata de ranas en lo absoluto.
Achtung: In diesem Schauspiel geht es NICHT um Frösche.
Atención: Esta obra de teatro no se trata de ranas en lo absoluto.
Achtung: In diesem Schauspiel geht es NICHT um Frösche.