Menander and the Making of Comedy:

by J. Michael Walton

This fascinating introduction to the comedy of Menander is the work of two classical scholars, both of whom have worked extensively as theatre practitioners. This is the first book to consider the plays of Menander primarily as performance pieces and to uncover the dramatic technique of this widely admired comic writer, whose plays had all but disappeared until the 1950s. Looking at the theatrical context of Menandrian comedy in its widest sense, the book includes discussions of recent productions, the recovery of the texts, the treatment of women and slaves, the nature of Menander's comedy, and where it may have led within the European tradition. This book will be of interest to both students of theatre and classicists.

192 pages, Hardcover

First published February 28, 1996

Reviews

[Catherine Gleghorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful read. I picked it up from the library when browsing the shelves, looking for books to help with my assignment on Menander. I expected to do no more than flip through it but ended up avidly reading it from cover to cover. It's a superb book with a very broad focus. It's written incredibly well - easy to read, interesting, often very funny - and by an author who has a very obvious affection for Menander and his plays.