Four Comedies: The Braggart Soldier; The Brothers Menaechmus; The Haunted House; The Pot of Gold (Oxford World's Classics)

Four Comedies: The Braggart Soldier; The Brothers Menaechmus; The Haunted House; The Pot of Gold (Oxford World's Classics)

by ErichSegal (Editor), Plautus (Author)

Synopsis

Plautus was the single greatest influence on Western comedy. Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors and Moliere's The Miser are two subsequent classics directly based on Plautine originals. Plautus himself borrowed from the Greeks, but his jokes, rapid dialogue, bawdy humour, and irreverent characterizations are the original work of an undisputed genius. The comedies printed here show him at his best, and professor Segal's translations keep their fast, rollicking pace intact, making these the most readable and actable versions available. His introduction considers Plautus' place in ancient comedy, examines his continuing influence, and celebrates his power to entertain.

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More Information

Format: Paperback
Pages: 288
Edition: New edition
Publisher: Oxford Paperbacks
Published: 10 Sep 1998

ISBN 10: 0192838962
ISBN 13: 9780192838964

Media Reviews
These translations are unrivalled in English. The dialogue is brisk, puns and alliterative strings trip from [Segal's] pen with an abandon that rivals the master himself, and the lyrics really ache to be sung. It is great theatre! Professor Walter Moskalew, Classics Department, Ball State University
Author Bio

Erich Segal is Fellow of Wolfson College, Oxford. He was Professor Classics at Yale and is author of Roman Laughter, a study of Plautus. He also wrote Love Story.