Oxford Classical and Philosophical Monographs – serie

The discoveries of large fragments of Menander's comedies have produced many studies which concentrate on his talents for characterization and plot construction while leaving his abilities as a dramatist who wrote for performance by actors largely unappreciated. Using the texts as evidence, this book surveys the restraints on the comings and goings of characters on and off the stage that were imposed on the playwright by fourth-century theatrical conventions. Then, in the course of a systematic examination of stage-movements in the surviving plays, it highlights the skill with which Menander worked within those limits, on occasion even turning them to his advantage. Examples of the more stylized techniques of his Roman adapters and Plautus and Terence are cited for comparison.