Postclassical Comedy and the Composition of Roman Comedy

NEW PERSPECTIVES ON POSTCLASSICAL COMEDY, SERIES PIERIDES II, Sophia Papaioannou & A.K. Petrides, eds., Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2010

45 Pages Posted: 2 Jun 2011 Last revised: 5 Jun 2011

See all articles by Sophia G. Papaioannou

Sophia G. Papaioannou

National and Kapodistrian University of Athens; National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Faculty of Philology, Department of Classics

Date Written: December 1, 2010

Abstract

Taking advantage of the fresh fragmentary discoveries in New Comedy, this paper focuses anew on the relationship between Roman Comedy and fourth-century Greek comedy, and argues that the two genres develop along similar structural principles because they embrace parallel philosophies of dealing with their potential literary models. Setting as premise that postclassical Greek comic drama is the outcome of a well-thought combination of individual genius and cleverly filtered sources, not always literary, the assessment of Plautine and Terentian dramaturgy advanced in this study, is based on extensive discussions of specific case studies and examines in detail the anatomy of a twofold methodology of model reception behind the texts of the palliata. The process in question transforms the so-perceived image of a spontaneous, improvisatory Plautine speech, by proving that Plautus’ literary language, no less than Terence’s own, involves complex intertextuality, which, in turn, comes in the aftermath of a long Quellenforschung whose successful conclusion presupposes critical acumen, powerful memory, and years of experience in viewing and performing Greek comedies.

Keywords: postclassical comedy, Roman comedy, Terence Eunuch, Plautus Truculentus, Menander Samia

Suggested Citation

Papaioannou, Sophia, Postclassical Comedy and the Composition of Roman Comedy (December 1, 2010). NEW PERSPECTIVES ON POSTCLASSICAL COMEDY, SERIES PIERIDES II, Sophia Papaioannou & A.K. Petrides, eds., Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2010, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1856433

Sophia Papaioannou (Contact Author)

National and Kapodistrian University of Athens ( email )

Panepistimioupoli Zografou
Ano Ilisia, Athens, 15784
Greece
0030 2107277380 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://scholar.uoa.gr/spapaioan/

National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Faculty of Philology, Department of Classics ( email )

Panepistimioupoli Zografou
Ano Ilisia, Athens, 15784
Greece
0030 2107277380 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://scholar.uoa.gr/spapaioan/

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