The Frogs

When Herakles questions why Dionysos wishes to travel to Hades, Dionysos replies, “I need a skillful poet” (175). What does he need the poet to do, and to what extent is his quest fulfilled and not fulfilled?

Why do you think Aristophanes stages the competition between Aischylos and Euripides as opposed to Aischylos and Sophokles or Sophokles and Euripides? Discuss using at least three specific references to each playwright from the text.

Dionysos describes a poet with a “fertile” mind being “able to voice great noble expressions” (177). To what extent do Aischylos and Euripides meet these criteria? To what extend does Aristophanes?