Category Archives: Roman Comedy

We wrap up the Roman comedies in today’s episode. Roman comedies are very domestic, so they have much to say about human relationships. What do they tell us about being parents or children? Neighbors? Husbands? Wives? Siblings? Friends? Any of the other relationships we’ve seen? Roman comedies are also filled with stock characters. What doContinue reading “Roman Comedy XXVII: Humanism in Roman Comedy”

Terence takes a stab at the Mommy Wars in Adelphoe. Discussion Prompts Whose parenting style is superior: Micio’s or Demea’s? Why? Retell this story from the point-of-view of Bacchis or Pamphila. What do Micio’s circumstances at the end of the play tell us about the expectations of a proper Roman man? Directing questions: vision? theme? modernContinue reading “Roman Comedy XXVI: Terence’s Adelphoe, or Oh Brother!”

Liars and lovers and lawyers, oh my! Discussion Prompts Retell this story from the perspective of the women seen or mentioned in this play. The usual directing questions: vision, interpretation, setting, dream cast. Discuss Geta and Phormio and how they fit (or don’t fit) the stock characters of the clever slave and parasite. Discuss howContinue reading “Roman Comedy XXV: Terence’s Phormio, or Athens Legal”

The title character is not who he seems in Terence’s Eunouchus. Discussion Prompts Who is the titular eunuch? Why? If you were directing this today, how would you handle the rape that is central to the plot? And the usual directing questions: dream cast, setting, vision, etc.? Vengeance vs justice as presented in this play. Discuss.Continue reading “Roman Comedy XXIV: Terence’s Eunouchus, or The Eunuch is Not Who He Seems”

Two fathers, two sons, and two objects of their affection get mixed up in Heauton Timorumenos. Discussion Prompts Bacchis. Discuss. What does this play say about the relationship between father and son? The usual directing questions: vision? setting? dream cast? Is Syrus a “clever slave”? Why or why not? Mercenaries. Discuss.

The marriage is on and off in Terence’s Andria. Discussion Prompts Who is the titular woman from Andros? Chrysis? Or Glycerium? Which translation of the title is better, The Girl from Andros or The Woman from Andros? Why? How does this play upend some of our stock characters? AP Credit: Compare/Contrast this play with Thornton Wilder’sContinue reading “Roman Comedy XXII: Terence’s Andria, or No, the Other Woman from Andros”

The honeymooners in Terence’s Hecyra have a lot to unpack. Discussion Prompts AP Credit: There are several instances in which traditional Roman gender roles seem to be switched. Discuss. Who is the titular “mother-in-law”? Sostrata? Or Myrrina? Why? Pamphilus is a horrible human being. Discuss. The usual directing questions: setting, dream cast, concept. Why? Write the playContinue reading “Roman Comedy XXI: Terence’s Hecyra, or And You Thought the Honeymooners Was Messed Up”

Plautus steps away from the city and from Rome, or rather Greece, in Rudens. Discussion Prompts Does the setting of this play (on the shore, outside the city, in neither Rome nor Greece) change how we should think about it? Why or why not? AP Credit: Compare/contrast with Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Palaestra and Ampelisca. Discuss. IfContinue reading “Roman Comedy XX: Plautus’s Rudens, or Down by the Bay Where the Watermelons Grow”

What language is that? Discussion Prompts Why do you think Plautus didn’t change Hanno’s nationality? How does Adelphasium really feel about Agorastocles? Does Lycus deserve what he gets? What do you think will happen to Anthemonides? The usual directing questions: Concept, setting, dream cast, etc.

Is the house haunted? Find out in Plautus’s Mostellaria. Discussion Prompts How clever is Tranio really? AP Credit: Discuss status as we see it presented in this play. Is Tranio truly forgiven by Theopropides when this play ends? Why did Henry Thomas Riley insist on changing the names of characters in a manner that bringsContinue reading “Roman Comedy XVIII: Plautus’s Mostellaria, or I Ain’t Afraid of No Ghost”