A Companion to Plautus

A Companion to Plautus offers a collection of original essays from international scholars, providing a comprehensive survey of the celebrated Old Latin period playwright. The volume explores the theatrical context of Roman comedy, the intricacies of Plautus's dramatic composition, and the profound relationship between his works and Roman social history, encompassing discussions on religion, imperialism, slavery, war, class, gender, and sexuality. It also examines his enduring influence on subsequent dramatists across centuries.

This resource reassesses Plautus's plays, revealing new meanings and contemporary relevance by delving into topics such as plot construction, characterization, comic techniques, metatheater, improvisation, and trends in translation and modern reception. Readers will gain a deeper understanding of Plautus's reflection of, and impact on, Roman society, making it an essential resource for scholars, instructors, and students of ancient and modern drama, comparative literature, and classics.