Professor Isabel Ruffell

Professor of Greek Drama and Culture (Classics)

telephone: 01413305379
email: Isabel.Ruffell@glasgow.ac.uk

R407 Level 4, Classics - School of Humanities, 65 Oakfield Avenue, Glasgow G12 8LP

Biography

I came to Glasgow in 2001 after studying and working in Oxford. I live on the Southside of Glasgow with her partner, family and cat. I'm sight impaired, trans and active in Green politics. My personal website and blog is on http://artemisia.scot/ and I can be found on Mastodon (https://mastodon.scot/@iaruffell)

Research interests

I am currently working on two major projects. The first is a monograph called The Long Culture War: The Greek and Roman Roots of the Anti-Trans Backlash. The second, provisionally entitled Constructing Ancient Automata, centers on Heron of Alexandria's treatise On Automata and discusses the history and practice of such devices (building on a Levelhume Research Project Grant on Hero of Alexandria and his Theatrical Automata https://automata.arts.gla.ac.uk/).

My earlier work concentrated on Greek Comedy and Tragedy on each of which I have published a monograph. I continue to publish in these areas with a particular emphasis on formal questions, audience response and the role of drama within a populist political environment. I also work on Ancient Technology more generally and have also published on Roman Satire.

Publications

List by: Type | Date

Jump to: 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1997

Number of items: 75.

2023

Ruffell, I. (2023) ‘How could a city become straight?' Aristophanes and the trans foundations of the comic state. In: Haselswerdt, Ella, Lindheim, Sara H. and Ormand, Kirk (eds.) Routledge Handbook of Classics and Queer Theory. Series: Routledge handbooks of classics and theory. Routledge, pp. 202-214. ISBN 9781032026794

Ruffell, I. A. (2023) Not yet the android: the limits of wonder in ancient automata. In: Gerolemou, Maria and Kazantzidis, George (eds.) Body and Machine in Classical Antiquity. Cambridge University Press, pp. 70-104. ISBN 9781009085786 (doi: 10.1017/9781009085786.004)

Ruffell, I. (2023) Prometheus bound: the principle of hope. In: Bromberg, Jacques A. and Burian, Peter (eds.) A Companion to Aeschylus. Series: Blackwell companions to the ancient world. Wiley, pp. 158-170. ISBN 9781119072409 (doi: 10.1002/9781119072348.ch12)

2022

Ruffell, I. (2022) Bacchae: "an excessively high price to pay for being reluctant to emerge from the closet"? In: Olsen, Sarah and Telò, Mario (eds.) Queer Euripides: Re-Readings in Greek Tragedy. Bloomsbury Academic: London, pp. 239-248. ISBN 9781350249622

2021

Ruffell, I. (2021) The aesthetics of the comic list. In: Lämmle, Rebecca, Scheidegger Lämmle, Cédric and Wesselmann, Katharina (eds.) Lists and Catalogues in Ancient Literature and Beyond: Towards a Poetics of Enumeration. Series: Trends in classics : supplementary volumes, 107. De Gruyter: Berlin, Germany, pp. 327-360. ISBN 9783110712193 (doi: 10.1515/9783110712230-015)

2020

Ruffell, I. (2020) Poetics, perversions, and passing: approaching the transgender narratives of Thesmophoriazousai. Illinois Classical Studies, 45(2), pp. 333-367. (doi: 10.5406/illiclasstud.45.2.0333)

Ruffell, I. A. (2020) Politics and power. In: Ewans, Michael (ed.) Cultural History of Comedy in Antiquity. Series: The Cultural histories series, 1. Bloomsbury Academic: London, pp. 119-136. ISBN 9781350000827

Ruffell, I.A. (2020) Conservative and radical: Aristophanic comedy and populist debate in democratic Athens. In: Rosen, Ralph M. and Foley, Helene P. (eds.) Aristophanes and Politics. Series: Columbia studies in the classical tradition (45). Brill: Leiden, pp. 60-89. ISBN 9789004424456 (doi: 10.1163/9789004424463_006)

2019

Ruffell, I. (2019) Teleclides. In: Sommerstein, Alan H. (ed.) The Encyclopedia of Greek Comedy. Wiley: Malden, Mass. and Oxford, p. 924. ISBN 9781118605042

Ruffell, I. (2019) Rebooting antiquity's robots. Argo: A Hellenic Review, 9, pp. 17-20.

Ruffell, I. (2019) Ancient theories of comedy. In: Sommerstein, Alan H. (ed.) The Encyclopedia of Greek Comedy. Wiley: Malden, Mass. and Oxford, pp. 204-206. ISBN 9781118605042

Ruffell, I. (2019) Bergson. In: Sommerstein, Alan H. (ed.) The Encyclopedia of Greek Comedy. Wiley: Malden, Mass. and Oxford, p. 132. ISBN 9781118605042

Ruffell, I. (2019) Cockaigne. In: Sommerstein, Alan H. (ed.) The Encyclopedia of Greek Comedy. Wiley: Malden, Mass. and Oxford, pp. 198-199. ISBN 9781118605042

Ruffell, I. (2019) Didacticism. In: Sommerstein, Alan H. (ed.) The Encyclopedia of Greek Comedy. Wiley: Malden, Mass. and Oxford, pp. 264-265. ISBN 9781118605042

Ruffell, I. (2019) Expurgation. In: Sommerstein, Alan H. (ed.) The Encyclopedia of Greek Comedy. Wiley: Malden, Mass. and Oxford, pp. 347-348. ISBN 9781118605042

Ruffell, I. (2019) Freud. In: Sommerstein, Alan H. (ed.) The Encyclopedia of Greek Comedy. Wiley: Malden, Mass. and Oxford, pp. 366-367. ISBN 9781118605042

Ruffell, I. (2019) Irony. In: Sommerstein, Alan H. (ed.) The Encyclopedia of Greek Comedy. Wiley: Malden, Mass. and Oxford, pp. 456-457. ISBN 9781118605042

Ruffell, I. (2019) Joke patterns. In: Sommerstein, Alan H. (ed.) The Encyclopedia of Greek Comedy. Wiley: Malden, Mass. and Oxford, pp. 460-462. ISBN 9781118605042

Ruffell, I. (2019) Performance criticism. In: Sommerstein, Alan H. (ed.) The Encyclopedia of Greek Comedy. Wiley: Malden, Mass. and Oxford, pp. 682-684. ISBN 9781118605042

Ruffell, I. (2019) Psychoanalytic criticism. In: Sommerstein, Alan H. (ed.) The Encyclopedia of Greek Comedy. Wiley: Malden, Mass. and Oxford, pp. 787-789. ISBN 9781118605042

2018

Ruffell, I. A. (2018) Aristophanes and his rivals - (M.) Telò Aristophanes and the Cloak of Comedy. Affect, Aesthetics, and the Canon. Classical Review, 68(2), pp. 344-347. (doi: 10.1017/S0009840X18000823)[Book Review]

Ruffell, I. (2018) Prometheus. In: Oxford Bibliographies Online. Oxford University Press. (doi: 10.1093/OBO/9780195389661-0304)

Ruffell, I. A. (2018) Stop making sense: the politics of Aristophanic madness. Illinois Classical Studies, 43(2), pp. 326-350. (doi: 10.5406/illiclasstud.43.2.0326)

2017

Ruffell, I. (2017) Sexuality and gender: off-stage and centre-stage. In: Revermann, Martin (ed.) A Cultural History of Theatre in Antiquity. Bloomsbury/Methuen Drama: London, pp. 47-63. ISBN 9781472585844

Ruffell, I. (2017) (What's so funny 'bout) peace, love and understanding? Imagining peace in Greek comedy. In: Moloney, E.P. and Williams, Michael Stuart (eds.) Peace and Reconciliation in the Classical World. Routledge. ISBN 9781472466358

2016

Ruffell, I. A. (2016) C. W. Marshall and G. Kovacs (eds), No Laughing Matter: Studies in Athenian Comedy (London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2012). Klio, 98(2), pp. 751-754. (doi: 10.1515/klio-2016-0063)[Book Review]

Ruffell, I. and Hau, L. I. (Eds.) (2016) Truth and History in the Ancient World: Pluralising the Past. Series: Routledge studies in ancient history. Routledge: London and New York. ISBN 9781138839403

Ruffell, I. (2016) Tragedy and fictionality. In: Ruffell, Ian and Hau, Lisa Irene (eds.) Truth and History in the Ancient World: Pluralising the Past. Series: Routledge studies in ancient history. Routledge: London and New York, pp. 32-54. ISBN 9781138839403

Ruffell, I. and Hau, L. I. (2016) Introduction. In: Ruffell, Ian and Hau, Lisa (eds.) Truth and History in the Ancient World: Pluralising the Past. Series: Routledge studies in ancient history. Routledge: London and New York, pp. 1-12. ISBN 9781138839403

Keenan-Jones, D. , Ruffell, I. and McGookin, E. (2016) Taking a bearing on Hero’s anti-crane and its un-windlass: the relationship between Hero of Alexandria’s mobile automaton and Greco-Roman construction machinery. In: DeLaine, J., Camporeale, S. and Pizzo, A. (eds.) Proceedings of Archaeology of Construction V. Man-Made Materials, Engineering and Infrastructure. Series: Anejos de Archivo Español de Arqueología. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas: Mérida. ISBN 9788400101428

Ruffell, I. (2016) Drama lessons in Aristophanes' Frogs. Omnibus, 71, pp. 30-31.

Ruffell, I. (2016) Review of A. Bagordo, Fragmenta Comicorum Graecorum I.1: Alkimenes – Kantharos. Einleitung, Übersetzung, Kommentar. Anzeiger für die Altertumswissenschaft, 69, pp. 10-13. [Book Review]

2015

Ruffell, I. (2015) A. Tzanetou, City of Suppliants: Tragedy and the Athenian Empire. Klio, 97(2), pp. 1-5. [Book Review]

Ruffell, I. (2015) The grotesque comic body between the real and the unreal. In: Bastin-Hammou, Malika and Orfanos, Charalampos (eds.) Carnaval et Comédie: Actes du Colloque International Organisé par l'équipe PLH-CRATA les 9-10 Décembre 2009 à l’Université de Toulouse - Le Mirail. Presses Universitaires de Franche-Comté: Besançon, pp. 37-73. ISBN 9782848675404

Ruffell, I. (2015) S. E. Kidd, Nonsense and Meaning in Ancient Greek Comedy. Classical World, 109(1), pp. 142-144. (doi: 10.1353/clw.2015.0083)[Book Review]

2014

Ruffell, I.A. (2014) Utopianism. In: Revermann, M. (ed.) The Cambridge Companion to Greek Comedy. Series: Cambridge companions to literature and classics. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, pp. 206-221. ISBN 9780521760287 (doi: 10.1017/CCO9781139015356.014)

Ruffell, I. (2014) Character types. In: Revermann, Martin (ed.) The Cambridge Companion to Greek Comedy. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, pp. 147-167. ISBN 9780521747400 (doi: 10.1017/CCO9781139015356.010)

Ruffell, I. A. (2014) The nurse's tale. In: Stuttard, David (ed.) Looking at Medea. Bloomsbury Academic, pp. 65-82. ISBN 9781472530165

Ruffell, I. (2014) Reception and performance history of the Oresteia. In: Aeschylus: Oresteia. Series: Bloomsbury Revelations. Bloomsbury: London, ix-xxii. ISBN 9781472526793

Ruffell, I.A. (2014) Old comedy at Rome: rhetorical model and satirical problem. In: Douglas Olson, S. (ed.) Ancient Comedy and Reception: Studies on the Classical Tradition of Comedy from Aristophanes to the Twenty-First Century. De Gruyter: Berlin, pp. 247-308. ISBN 9781614511250

2013

Ruffell, I. (2013) Review of: A. Markantonatos and B. Zimmermann eds., Crisis on Stage: Tragedy and Comedy in Late Fifth-Century Athens. Journal of Hellenic Studies, 133, pp. 182-183. (doi: 10.1017/S007542691300030X)[Book Review]

Ruffell, I. (2013) Review of: M. Wright, The Comedian as Critic. Journal of Hellenic Studies, 133, pp. 181-182. (doi: 10.1017/S0075426913000281)[Book Review]

Ruffell, I. (2013) Aeschylus: Prometheus Bound. In: Roisman, H.M. (ed.) Encyclopedia of Greek Tragedy. Wiley-Blackwell, pp. 54-61. ISBN 9781444335927

Ruffell, I.A. (2013) Greek tragedy's political content. In: Roisman, H.M. (ed.) Encyclopedia of Greek Tragedy. Wiley-Blackwell, pp. 650-654. ISBN 9781444335927

Ruffell, I.A. (2013) Humiliation? Voyeurism, violence and humour in Aristophanes. Helios, 40(1-2), pp. 247-277. (doi: 10.1353/hel.2013.0009)

Ruffell, I. (2013) Review of: T.S. Johnson, Horace's Iambic Criticism. Bryn Mawr Classical Review, 9(49), [Book Review]

2012

Ruffell, I.A. (2012) Review Article: Greek Comedy. Journal of Hellenic Studies, 132, pp. 157-171. (doi: 10.1017/S0075426912000110)[Book Review]

Ruffell, I.A. (2012) "Seeing the meat for what it is": Aristophanic expurgation and its phallacies. In: Harrison, S.J. and Stray, C. (eds.) Expurgating the Classics: Editing Out in Greek and Latin. Bristol Classical Press: London, UK, pp. 25-51. ISBN 9781849668927

Ruffell, I.A. (2012) Aeschylus: Prometheus Bound. Series: Companions to Greek and Roman tragedy. Bristol Classical Press: London. ISBN 9780715634769

2011

Ruffell, I. (2011) Review of J. Michael Walton, Euripides: Our Contemporary, and E. Hall and S, Harrop (eds.), Theorising Performance: Greek Drama, Cultural History and Cultural Practice. Theatre Research International, 36(3), pp. 292-293. (doi: 10.1017/S0307883311000265)[Book Review]

Ruffell, I.A. (2011) Politics and Anti-realism in Athenian Old Comedy: the Art of the Impossible. Series: Oxford classical monographs. Oxford University Press: Oxford. ISBN 9780199587216

Ruffell, I.A. (2011) Response to Murnaghan and Visvardi. In: Carter, D.M. (ed.) Why Athens? A Reappraisal of Tragic Politics. Oxford University Press: Oxford, UK, pp. 293-301. ISBN 9780199562329

2010

Ruffell, I. (2010) Review of A. Lianeri & V. Zajko (eds), Translation and the Classic. Journal of Roman Studies, 100, pp. 317-319. (doi: 10.1017/S0075435810000778)[Book Review]

Ruffell, I.A. (2010) Translating Greece to Rome: humour and the re-invention of popular culture. In: Chiaro, Delia C. (ed.) Translation, Humour and Literature. Series: Continuum Advances in Translation, 1. Continuum: London, pp. 91-118. ISBN 9781441158239

Ruffell, I. (2010) Classics at Glasgow. Journal of Classics Teaching, 19, pp. 11-12.

2009

Ruffell, I.A. (2009) Comic Business in Aristophanes. Arion, 16(3), pp. 143-168. [Book Review]

2008

Ruffell, I. (2008) Review of Humour, Obscenity and Aristophanes by J. E. Robson. Classical Review, 58(1), pp. 25-26. (doi: 10.1017/S0009840X07001667)[Book Review]

Ruffell, I.A. (2008) Audience and emotion in the reception of Greek drama. In: Taplin, O., Revermann, M. and Wilson, P. (eds.) Performance, Iconography, Reception: Studies in Honour of Oliver Taplin. Oxford University Press: Oxford, UK, pp. 37-58. ISBN 9780199232215

2006

Ruffell, I.A. (2006) Greek comedy. In: Bispham, E., Harrison, T. and Sparkes, B.A. (eds.) Edinburgh Companion to Ancient Greece & Rome. University of Edinburgh Press, pp. 299-308. ISBN 0748616292

Ruffell, I.A. (2006) A little ironic (don't you think?): utopian criticism and the problem of Aristophanes' late plays. In: Kozak, L. and Rich, J. (eds.) Playing Around Aristophanes. Oxbow Books, pp. 65-104. ISBN 0856687715

2005

Ruffell, I. (2005) Review of Tragedy, Modernity and Mourning by O. Taxidou. Theatre Research International, 30(2), pp. 190-191. (doi: 10.1017/S0307883305221417)[Book Review]

Ruffell, I. (2005) Review of; N.W. Slater, Spectator Politics: Metatheatre and Performance in Aristophanes. Classical Review, 100(3), pp. 309-312. [Book Review]

2004

Ruffell, I. (2004) Review of J. Porter (ed.), Constructions of the Classical Body, and L. Brisson, Sexual Ambivalence: Androgyny and Hermaphroditism in Graeco-Roman Antiquity. Journal of Hellenic Studies, 124, pp. 204-205. (doi: 10.2307/3246183)[Book Review]

McAleer, E., Ruffell, I., Williamson, S. and Muirhead, A. (2004) Which Media, When and Why? In: Networked Learning Conference, Lancaster University, England, 5-7 April 2004,

2003

Ruffell, I. (2003) Review of; R. Krumeich et al., eds., Das griechische Satyrspiel. Classical Review, 53(2), pp. 288-290. (doi: 10.1093/cr/53.2.288)[Book Review]

Ruffell, I.A. (2003) Beyond satire: Horace, popular incentive and the segregation of literature. Journal of Roman Studies, 93, pp. 35-65.

2002

Ruffell, I.A. (2002) A total write-off: Aristophanes, Kratinos and the rhetoric of comic competition. Classical Quarterly, 52(1), pp. 138-163. (doi: 10.1093/cq/52.1.138)

Ruffell, I. (2002) Review of Alan H. Sommerstein (ed.), Aristophanes: Wealth. Bryn Mawr Classical Review, 2002(08.43), [Book Review]

2001

Ruffell, I. (2001) Review of P. Totaro, Le seconde parabasi di Aristofane. Classical Review, 51(2), pp. 383-384. (doi: 10.1093/cr/51.2.383)[Book Review]

Ruffell, I. (2001) Review of I. Lada-Richards, Initiating Dionysos: Ritual and Theatre in Aristophanes. Classical Review, 51(1), pp. 16-18. (doi: 10.1093/cr/51.1.16)[Book Review]

Ruffell, I. (2001) Review of; B. Zimmermann, ed., Griechisch-römische Komödie und Tragödie III (Drama 8). Classical Review, 51(1), pp. 172-173. (doi: 10.1093/cr/51.1.172-a)[Book Review]

Ruffell, I.A. (2001) Did comedy kill the philosophy star? Omnibus, 43, pp. 29-31.

2000

Ruffell, I. (2000) The world turned upside down: utopia and utopianism in the fragments of old comedy. In: Harvey, F.D., Wilkins, J. and Dover, K.J. (eds.) The Rivals of Aristophanes: Studies in Athenian Old Comedy. Duckworth and the Classical Press of Wales: London, pp. 473-506. ISBN 9780715630457

1999

Ruffell, I. (1999) Review of G. W. Dobrov (ed.), The City as Comedy: Society and Representation in Athenian Drama. Classical Review, 49(2), pp. 356-358. (doi: 10.1093/cr/49.2.356)[Book Review]

1997

Ruffell, I. (1997) Review of J. Davidson, Courtesans and Fishcakes: the Consuming Passions of Classical Athens. things, 7(Winter), pp. 113-116. [Book Review]

This list was generated on Fri Apr 18 15:14:11 2025 BST.