Overview

The fifteenth-century discovery of Plautus’s lost comedies brought him, for the first time since antiquity, the status of a major author both on stage and page. It also led to a reinvention of comedy and to new thinking about its art and potential. This book aims to define the unique contribution of Plautus, detached from his fellow Roman dramatist Terence, and seen in the context of that European revival, first as it took shape on the Continent. The heart of the book, with special focus on English comedy ca. 1560 to 1640, analyzes elements of Plautine technique during the period, as differentiated from native and Terentian, considering such points of comparison as dialogue, asides, metadrama, observation scenes, characterization, and atmosphere.  This is the first book to cover this ground, raising such questions as: How did comedy rather suddenly progress from the interludes and brief plays of the early sixteenth century to longer, more complex plays? What did “Plautus” mean to playwrights and readers of the time? Plays by Shakespeare, Jonson, and Middleton are foregrounded, but many other comedies provide illustration and support.

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9781683931300

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Reviews

This invaluable book traces the influence of the Roman dramatist Plautus on the subsequent course of European culture and literature. Hardin (emer., Univ. of Kansas) shows how Plautus's comedies impacted the course of drama and that Latin in vulgaria was taught in grammar school for centuries, especially during the Renaissance. A widening reception of Plautus, spreading from quattrocento Italy northward, shows a growing appreciation for what laughter for the sake of laughter can achieve. Plautus's plays-the running theme of which is that everyman is a fool unaware-advanced respect for the value of comedy on the stage and in life. The five chapters situate the texts and staging of Plautus's comedies in humanist culture. In particular, the last three chapters focus on the Roman comedian's reception in England, showing that Shakespeare, Jonson, Middleton, and other English dramatists mined Plautus's work for plots, characters, and jokes. A conclusion identifies Jonson as a consummate Plautine. Included in Hardin's study are many passages of his own translations of Renaissance works, a chronology of editions of Plautus during the Renaissance, and an ample bibliography. A brief index does not do justice to the richness of this book. Summing Up: Recommended. Graduate students, researchers, faculty. * CHOICE * It is extremely hard, dear reader, to restrain my enthusiasm for this book. . . [Hardin's] is an exciting and important monograph, jam-packed with arresting observations, the telling detail, and well-chosen quotations. It belongs in every research library and on the shelf of any reader interested in Roman comedy, the Renaissance, and theater history. . . . This monograph is a sparkling gem, and, with its tight concentration on its theme, a model of its kind. It is also the clear product of long research and sustained reflection. . . . Plautus and the English Renaissance of Comedy is a masterpiece. * Renaissance Quarterly *

This invaluable book traces the influence of the Roman dramatist Plautus on the subsequent course of European culture and literature. Hardin (emer., Univ. of Kansas) shows how Plautus's comedies impacted the course of drama and that Latin in vulgaria was taught in grammar school for centuries, especially during the Renaissance. A widening reception of Plautus, spreading from quattrocento Italy northward, shows a growing appreciation for what laughter for the sake of laughter can achieve. Plautus's plays—the running theme of which is that everyman is a fool unaware—advanced respect for the value of comedy on the stage and in life. The five chapters situate the texts and staging of Plautus’s comedies in humanist culture. In particular, the last three chapters focus on the Roman comedian’s reception in England, showing that Shakespeare, Jonson, Middleton, and other English dramatists mined Plautus's work for plots, characters, and jokes. A conclusion identifies Jonson as a “consummate Plautine.” Included in Hardin’s study are many passages of his own translations of Renaissance works, a chronology of editions of Plautus during the Renaissance, and an ample bibliography. A brief index does not do justice to the richness of this book. Summing Up: Recommended. Graduate students, researchers, faculty. * CHOICE * It is extremely hard, dear reader, to restrain my enthusiasm for this book. . . [Hardin's] is an exciting and important monograph, jam-packed with arresting observations, the telling detail, and well-chosen quotations. It belongs in every research library and on the shelf of any reader interested in Roman comedy, the Renaissance, and theater history. . . . This monograph is a sparkling gem, and, with its tight concentration on its theme, a model of its kind. It is also the clear product of long research and sustained reflection. . . . Plautus and the English Renaissance of Comedy is a masterpiece. * Renaissance Quarterly *

Author Information

Richard F. Hardin is professor emeritus in the Department of English at the University of Kansas.

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