Inthislivelyandwide-rangingstudy,PeterSwallowexploresthereceptionofAristophanesinBritainthroughoutthelong-nineteenthcentury,settingitinthebroadercontextofVictorianClassicismand,morespecifically,theperiod’sreceptionofGreektragedy.SwallowshowsthesurprisingextenttowhichAristophaneswasrepurposedacrossanarrayofmediumsinVictorianBritain,anddemonstratesthatAristophanicreceptionintheperiodwasalwaysaprocessofspeakingtocontemporaryissues--makingOldComedynew.ThebookexaminestwostrandsofAristophanicreception:thepoliticalandtheaesthetic.Fromthestartofthelong-nineteenthcentury,theBritishreceptionofAristophanestiedintocontemporarypoliticaldebate,ashistorians,translatorsandcommentators,andeventheburlesquewriterJ.R.Planch矇activatedAristophanesinsupportoftheirownpoliticalpositions.Buteachwriter’sconceptualisationofAristophaneswasasdifferentastheirpoliticaloutlooks.WhilemanywriterswhoappropriatedAristophanesfortheircausewereTories,anotableoutlierisPercyShelley,whoseAristophanicdramaSwellfoottheTyrantactivatedOldComedytoarguefordemocraticrepublicanism--whatwewouldnowcallaleft-wingpoliticalrevolution.ThesecondstrandofAristophanicreception,whichdevelopedfromaroundthemiddleofthenineteenthcentury,activelydepoliticisedOldComedyandinsteadreceiveditthroughanaestheticlens.TheaestheticsofAristophanes--withanemphasisonthebeautifulandthearchaeological--alsolaybehindschoolanduniversityproductionsofOldComedyduringthisperiod.Thesestrandsofnineteenth-centuryAristophanicreceptionfindsynthesistowardsthebook’sconclusion.Edwardianwomen’sreceptionsofAristophanesshowhowactivistsusedhisplaystoargueforequaleducationalopportunitiesandtherighttovote.Inthefinalchapter,GilbertMurrayandGeorgeBernardShaw’sreceptionsrevealboththepoliticalandartisticpotentialofAristophanes.
