How did Aristophanes parody Euripides in his comedies?

Aristophanes frequently parodied the tragedian Euripides in his comedies, using satire to mock the poet's style, themes, and personal background. This persistent mockery serves as evidence of the significant impact Euripides' work had on the Athenian audience.1

Key Examples of Parody

• Women at the Thesmophoria: In this play, Aristophanes depicts the women of Athens plotting against Euripides because they are angered by his constant negative portrayals of them in his tragedies. The comedy features scenes where a character attempts to escape the women by using brilliant parodies of Euripides’ own tragic plots.23
• Frogs: This literary comedy centers on the god Dionysus traveling to Hades to bring Euripides back to life. The play includes a famous competition between Euripides and Aeschylus, where Aristophanes satirizes Euripides’ lyrical style, which he characterizes as overly emotional and "chattering" (lalia).45

Nature of the Satire

Aristophanes’ parody was often sharp and "masterly unfair," targeting Euripides' rationalizing attitude toward religion, his use of common, flawed characters, and his structural devices like the deus ex machina. Additionally, Aristophanes frequently joked about Euripides' personal life, including a tradition that his mother was a humble greengrocer.651