Types of Comedy in The Arkarnians: Quotes

·        Sexual innuendo- visual and oral

Dikaiopolis’ ode to phallus. Dikaiopolis and Theorus discussing the fig trees. The piglet scene. The final scene with Dikaiopolis and the two dancing girls.

“with us it’s how many you bugger and how many you ****”, line 79

“here what an earth is this? Who cut the leaves from their fig-trees?”, line 159, Dikaiopolis

“make sure the phallus is erect” line 243, Dikaiopolis

“bring up the rear and sing the phallic hymn”, line 261 the continues to sing part of the song, Dikaiopolis.

“as a cowardly fag who’s promiscuously queer” line 664, Dikaiopolis

“and ye ken, if ye skewer them on a spit” line 795, Megarian

“but it’ll grow up to be a beaver”, line 782, Dikaiopolis           

“girls hold my ***** between you both”, line 1215, Dikaiopolis

·        Slapstick humour- visual and oral

Chorus of Arkarnians chasing Dikaiopolis. The ode to the Phallus routine. The verbal/physical contest between Lamachus and Dikaiopolis. The piglet scene.

“we found the king away—he had gone on an expedition, and he stayed there, ******** on the Golden Hills for eight months” line 80, Ambassador

“you cheating monkey- with a like yours”, line 120, Dikaiopolis

“chase him, chase him, everybody, for the traitor must be found”, line 204, Leader

“alas good as you farting in the grey daw”, line 257, Dikaiopolis

”pit on these trotters” line 740, Megarian

“O Phales…” line 264, Dikaiopolis

“boy bring me out my ration bag” … “Boy! Bring me out my dinner box” etc. Line 1099, Lamachus and Dikaiopolis

·        Political satire- key message repeated, lots of in jokes…