Plautus, terence and the Origin of Roman Comedy
Plautus, Terence and the Origin of Roman Comedy In the early centuries of its existence, Rome had no real literature since the Romans were busy in consolidating and expanding their empire. It was in about the year 3rd century B.C that they came into contact with the Greeks of Southern Italy and Sicily and began to learn about Greek art and literature and blend it into their own cultural identity. The exact dates are those of the Punic Wars with Carthage (264-241 B.C).This contact with the Greeks made them aware of their cultural void and when, at the end of the Punic Wars, there rose a demand for better education and amusement, the Romans looked no further than the well developed Greek epic and drama for models. Roman literature traditionally begins in the year 240 B.C, when the Greek slave Livius Andronicus, brought to Rome as a hostage, staged a Greek tragedy, adapted into Latin and in the following year, staged the first Roman comedy, also an adaptation of a Greek comedy, as part of the festival Ludi Romani. (Duckworth xii) Although little is known about Roman literature prior to 240 B.C, various rudimentary forms of drama had existed for more than a century in and about Rome. However, these dramas, which were basically a medley of song, dance and dialogue and lacked a plot, were easily displaced by the plays with a plot that were introduced by Andronicus. Both tragedy and comedy had reached a peak of excellence in Greece in the 5th century B.C. The Roman playwrights who wrote comedies chose as their models the Greek
New Comedy of the late 4th and early 3rd century B.C. They did not choose Aristophanian comedy, which in spite of all its “brilliant fantasy and sparkling humour” were not suitable for imitation. In this sense, Greek New Comedy, the current form of comedy, could be reworked because of its cosmopolitan nature. The Roman comedians did not merely translate the Greek comedies, but adapted
New Comedy of the late 4th and early 3rd century B.C. They did not choose Aristophanian comedy, which in spite of all its “brilliant fantasy and sparkling humour” were not suitable for imitation. In this sense, Greek New Comedy, the current form of comedy, could be reworked because of its cosmopolitan nature. The Roman comedians did not merely translate the Greek comedies, but adapted
Cited: Duckworth, George E. General Introduction to The Complete Roman Drama. New York: Random House, 1942. John Porter. “Roman New Comedy”. Web. 11 September 2013. Classical Drama and Society, Section 4: Roman Drama, Chapter 14: Roman Comedy, Part 2 (Terence). Web. 16 September 2013. Mackail, J. W. “Latin Literature. II. Comedy: Plautus and Terence”. Web. 16 September 2013 Harris, William. “Roman Comedy: Plautus and Terence”. Web. 11 September 2013