In the following two chapters from his book-length analysis of Plautus's work, Anderson first examines the way in which Plautus subverts the conventional love plot in order to transform Greek romantic comedy into Roman comedy. Next, Anderson traces the development of the concept of "heroic badness "—the immoral tendencies shared by humanity and acted on by Plautus's "heroic rogues "—throughout Plautus's comedies.
In the following essay, Lowe compares Plautus's Asinaria to its Greek model Onagos and identifies several aspects of Plautus's comedy which are perhaps Plautine innovations rather than further derivations from Greek materials.
In the following excerpts from his book-length study of Plautus's comedies, Segal sketches Plautus's career as a professional playwright popular with Roman audiences and explores the relationship between Plautine Roman comedy and the Roman holiday mentality.
In the following excerpt, Harsh offers an overview of Plautus's major plays, commenting on the source materials, plots, and the influence of the plays on later works.
In the following essay, Hanson studies Plautus 's use and development of the stock character the miles gloriosus, or braggart soldier, maintaining that this character was used by Plautus as a commentary on Roman military ideals of his time. Hanson goes on to survey the appearance of this character in the works of later dramatists, including William Shakespeare.
In the following essay, Owens compares Plautus's Bacchides to the Greek play on which it was based (Menander's Dis Exapaton) and demonstrates that several aspects of the play's plot and themes are Plautine in origin.
In this essay, Riehle examines the structural and comedic devices Shakespeare derived from Plautus and employed in The Comedy of Errors and other works.
In the following essay, Kent outlines what is often said to be the "typical" Plautine plot and identifies the ways in which Plautus's plays vary from this stereotype.
In the following excerpt, Tatum explains that three of Plautus's comedies—Bacchides, Casina, and Truculentus—are less familiar today than his others because of their unconvential use of the family and love. Tatum briefly discusses the more cynical aspects of each play and comments on the problems related to the translation and production of these plays.
In the following essay, Ryder discusses Plautus's use of the stock character the senex amator, asserting that Plautus's handling of the lecherous old man who falls for a young girl differs in each of the six plays in which the character appears.
