CMRS 110 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Scipionic Circle, Plautus, Ancient Greek Comedy
Document Summary
Introduction to terence (begin by reading the introduction to radice"s translation. ) Terence"s dates (c. 190/85-159) place him approximately a generation after plautus. Terence is much closer in spirit to menander, to whom he regularly turns for his greek model. 1 his works are more sedate and refined, presenting a gentle comedy of manners with an emphasis on character and on ethical/social themes. Like menander, his plays are very prosaic: 52% of his lines are composed in spoken meters and there are few songs. Slapstick either verbal or physical is also much reduced. As opposed to plautus" various stand-up routines and comic shticks, terence presents an organic plot and relatively realistic situations. Unlike plautus" two-dimensional comic figures, terence"s stock characters are fleshed out: as in. Menander, we are presented with characters who are confronted with difficult ethical choices and whose plights, while humorous, are regarded with a humane sympathy and seriousness.