The Younger surpasses the Elder-ADD

In the story of the clouds there is an incident between Strepsiades and Pheidippides that demonstrates three themes of Trickster literature: 1)confusing polarities, 2)situation inversion, and 3) the confusion of categories. Towards the ending of the play, Pheidippides beats his father Strepsiades and tries to justify it. He argues that if a parent can beat a child to instruct it, than the inverse of that should be allowed as well. This is a confusing and subversive inverse since it really doesn’t make sense for a child ever to discipline in a parent for the means of teaching that parent a lesson. Pheidippides also argues that old men are actually in their second childhoods. While there is some truth in arguing that old people become childlike again, it still does not justify the right to beat your father. Pheidippides seems to have the role of father and some severely mixed up in his mind. Yet he continues with his convoluted argument by declaring that if the old are beaten in front of the younger, then the younger will also learn. In my opinion, this is an absurd conclusion, which still does not justify the beatings/ “discipline” of his father. Pheidippides then makes a reference to the animal kingdom where the son usually avenge themselves against their father. Pheidippides seems to have this gift of gab and argument. I think it’s even hilarious that he’s continuing to justify hitting his father by presenting this reference to animals.

Eventually gullible Strepsiades submits Pheidippides. Pheidippides takes it one step even further by suggesting he should also be able to beat his mother. At this point, I’m not sure whether Pheidippides is still serious. Pheidippides flips the role between child and parent and blurs the lines of who really “wears the pants.” In this scene the younger surpasses the elder, and the elder is tricked in an indirect way by the younger.