The Making of Menander's Comedy (Hardcover)

Sander M. Goldberg

ISBN 10: 1472514297 / ISBN 13: 9781472514295

Published by Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, London, 2013

About this Item

Hardcover. The discovery on papyrus of plays by Menander, the greatest writer of Greek New Comedy, at last makes possible an evaluation on his own terms of an ancient author who, through the adaptations of Plautus and Terence, profoundly influenced the course of western drama. The present study establishes a critical perspective for understanding the kind of comedy Menander wrote, his roots, the theatrical effects he sought, and the extent of his achievement. Chapters on the major plays analyse their techniques of construction and characterisation, suggesting both the strengths and the limitations of Menanders comic tradition.This study is based on the Oxford Greek text but cites all ancient authors in translation to open the discussion to a wider audience. An introductory chapter places the tradition of New Comedy in the history of drama, and modern parallels are drawn wherever helpful. It will therefore be of value to students of drama as well as to classicists. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9781472514295

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Making of Menander's Comedy (Hardcover)
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, London
• Publication Date: 2013
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1472514297
• ISBN 13: 9781472514295
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

The discovery on papyrus of plays by Menander, the greatest writer of Greek New Comedy, at last makes possible an evaluation on his own terms of an ancient author who, through the adaptations of Plautus and Terence, profoundly influenced the course of western drama. The present study establishes a critical perspective for understanding the kind of comedy Menander wrote, his roots, the theatrical effects he sought, and the extent of his achievement. Chapters on the major plays analyse their techniques of construction and characterisation, suggesting both the strengths and the limitations of Menander's comic tradition.

This study is based on the Oxford Greek text but cites all ancient authors in translation to open the discussion to a wider audience. An introductory chapter places the tradition of New Comedy in the history of drama, and modern parallels are drawn wherever helpful. It will therefore be of value to students of drama as well as to classicists.

About the Author

Sander M. Goldberg teaches in the Department of Classics at the University of California, Berkeley.