The Making of the Menander's Comedy

Sander M. Goldberg

ISBN 10: 0485111896 / ISBN 13: 9780485111897

Published by Athlone Press December 2000, 2000

About this Item

The Greek dramatist, Menander was considered the supreme poet of Greek New Comedy. Menandros wrote 108 comedies. In 1907, with the discovery of the Cairo Codex, which contained large parts of the Samia; the Perikeiromene; the Epitrepontes; a section of the Heros; and another fragment from an unidentified play. A fragment of 115 lines of the Sikyonioi had been found in the papier mache of a mummy case in 1906.The author was teaching Classics at UC Berkeley when he write this study based on the Oxford Greek texts.Chapters on the major plays analyse their techniques of construction and characterization, suggesting both the strengths and the limitations of Menander's comic tradition. An introductory chapter places the tradition of New Comedy in the history of drama and also draws modern parrallels, making it useful for students of drama as well as, classicists. Past Columbia Univ. professor's name.

Seller Inventory # 22238

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Making of the Menander's Comedy
• Publisher: Athlone Press December 2000
• Publication Date: 2000
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0485111896
• ISBN 13: 9780485111897
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 1st Edition.
• Condition: Very Good
• Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good
• Seller catalogs:
  • THEATRE ARTS

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.

Book Description

This Bloomsbury Academic Collection consists of a wide-range of classic research studies in Literary Criticism.