Plautus

Catalog description

Plautus’ Menaechmi, Rudens, and Captivi are three Plautine masterpieces. We read at least two, and do so with as much understanding of archaic Latin and theatric convention as we can muster. Students are expected to be in command of Latin syntax and morphology. Plautine metrics are difficult: reading the Latin text aloud is essential. Aspects of performance are given attention: Plautus, himself an actor, wrote his plays to be performed; we, too, must give thought (if not practice) to the Plautine stage and how that affects our understanding. For comparison, we shall have performance readings of Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors and possibly Shinza the Barber (a Japanese Kabuki play). If it turns out that students have read any of the plays suggested here and prefer another, please let the instructor know as soon as possible—she will try to accommodate!"