Abstract
Terence's last play, Adelphoe, is often the first one modern readers encounter. The play centers on two characters with opposing beliefs about parenting: the pater durus Demea takes an authoritarian approach; his brother and anti-type, the pater lenis Micio, is permissive. Terence himself raises the issue of adaptation in the play's short prologue, where he invokes the audience as judges in a literary dispute between himself and his opponents. It is likely that Terence also changed his characters' names to underscore their dramatic functions, common practice in the comoedia palliata although he limited himself to conventional choices. Knemon, an old farmer living in a rural outpost of Attica, has been compared with Demea since Thierfelder. Dyskolos and Samia illustrate aspects of what the author calls a recognition narrative. These appear in Adelphoe as well, when Demea is forced to reevaluate decisions made on false assumptions.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | A companion to Terence |
| Editors | Ariana Traill, A. Augostakis |
| Publisher | Blackwell Publishing Ltd |
| Pages | 318-339 |
| Number of pages | 22 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781405198752 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - May 3 2013 |
Publication series
| Name | Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World |
|---|
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Keywords
- Adaptation
- Adelphoe
- Demea
- Dramaturgy
- Knemon
- Terence
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Arts and Humanities(all)
Cite this
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter
}
TY - CHAP
T1 - Adelphoe
AU - Traill, Ariana
PY - 2013/5/3
Y1 - 2013/5/3
N2 - Terence's last play, Adelphoe, is often the first one modern readers encounter. The play centers on two characters with opposing beliefs about parenting: the pater durus Demea takes an authoritarian approach; his brother and anti-type, the pater lenis Micio, is permissive. Terence himself raises the issue of adaptation in the play's short prologue, where he invokes the audience as judges in a literary dispute between himself and his opponents. It is likely that Terence also changed his characters' names to underscore their dramatic functions, common practice in the comoedia palliata although he limited himself to conventional choices. Knemon, an old farmer living in a rural outpost of Attica, has been compared with Demea since Thierfelder. Dyskolos and Samia illustrate aspects of what the author calls a recognition narrative. These appear in Adelphoe as well, when Demea is forced to reevaluate decisions made on false assumptions.
AB - Terence's last play, Adelphoe, is often the first one modern readers encounter. The play centers on two characters with opposing beliefs about parenting: the pater durus Demea takes an authoritarian approach; his brother and anti-type, the pater lenis Micio, is permissive. Terence himself raises the issue of adaptation in the play's short prologue, where he invokes the audience as judges in a literary dispute between himself and his opponents. It is likely that Terence also changed his characters' names to underscore their dramatic functions, common practice in the comoedia palliata although he limited himself to conventional choices. Knemon, an old farmer living in a rural outpost of Attica, has been compared with Demea since Thierfelder. Dyskolos and Samia illustrate aspects of what the author calls a recognition narrative. These appear in Adelphoe as well, when Demea is forced to reevaluate decisions made on false assumptions.
KW - Adaptation
KW - Adelphoe
KW - Demea
KW - Dramaturgy
KW - Knemon
KW - Terence
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84886858220&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84886858220&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/9781118301975.ch17
DO - 10.1002/9781118301975.ch17
M3 - Chapter
SN - 9781405198752
T3 - Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World
SP - 318
EP - 339
BT - A companion to Terence
A2 - Traill, Ariana
A2 - Augostakis, A.
PB - Blackwell Publishing Ltd
ER -