University of Oregon the Brothers Menaechmus Discussion Questions Please write a 10 to 12-line comment in response to ONE of the questions below. The quest

University of Oregon the Brothers Menaechmus Discussion Questions Please write a 10 to 12-line comment in response to ONE of the questions below. The questions are based on the reading for UNIT THREE (play The Brothers Menaechmus)

1) The Roman playwright Plautus was one of the first Western authors to use mistaken identity plots in his comedies. Why do you think mistaken identity has remained a common source for laughter in comedies for the past two thousand years? Are mistaken identity plots particularly rewarding for the audience?

2) Plautus is (in)famous for having introducing two stereotypical female characters into Western comedy: the nagging wife and the greedy mistress ( or prostitute). In your view, can the audience still feel sympathy for the two female characters (the WIFE and EROTIUM) although they are poorly treated by the male characters in the play? Take into consideration that the audience does not necessarily need to share the view of certain characters by other characters on stage.

3) In which way is the master-slave relationship between MENAECHMUS II and Messenio an important part of this comedy?

[Some background information: Slaves were frequently freed by their masters in the Roman Empire, unlike in Athens. The famous Roman comedic playwright Terence was a freed slave from Africa. Slave-master relationships are central to Roman comedy, and often mirror the wishful thinking of the ruling class that slaves would remain loyal to their masters if they should be freed.]

PLEASE INDICATE AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR COMMENT WHICH QUESTION YOU ARE REPLYING TO.

CONCLUDE YOUR COMMENT WITH A QUESTION FOR THE REST OF THE CLASS.

BRIEFLY ANSWER ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT YOUR CLASSMATES POSTED. Purchase answer to see full
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