The Role of Slavery in Roman Comedy free essay sample

A Greek comedic playwright named Menander wrote a play with the same title. Since Menander’s version is lost, historians aren’t sure how original Terence’s version is. We can suspect that at least some of Terence’s version is merely a translation or a very slightly edited form of Menander’s. One of the most recurring themes in Greek and Roman Theater is that of the master and the slave. Almost every play by Plautus contained â€Å"the cunning slave† who outwitted or ridiculed his master’s action. George Duckworth described this relationship saying, â€Å"It is hardly possible that in real life ancient slaves had as much freedom as the slaves of Roman comedy, nor could they have been as outspoken and as impudent,† (Duckworth 288). Themes such as this sought to diminish the harsh reality of slavery and racism through comedy. Because Plutarch and Terence depicted slaves more as free men than as prisoners, their comedies fought the traditional ideas of slavery and discrimination. We will write a custom essay sample on The Role of Slavery in Roman Comedy or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Before discussing slavery in Roman plays, it is important to know the customs of the Roman Theater. All Roman citizens attended the theater for free, because either the city funded the play, or a wealthy, individual citizen paid for the production. These individuals might be running for an upcoming election, so they provided entertainment to the Roman people to gain favor with them. The better the play, the better their reputation would be. In general, the Romans of the time, combat and bloodshed were of the utmost desires for entertainment. The more realistic and gruesome the event, the more they enjoyed themselves. At the time, women were not allowed to have roles in the theater, and in the beginning stages of Roman Theater, women could not even attend the productions. Young boys played the female roles instead. But most interestingly, slaves usually made up the entire cast of a Roman production. There are twenty surviving plays written by Plautus. The first instance of a slave acting out of character is in the play Captivi. In this play, Philopolemus, an Aetolian is captured and sold into slavery under an Elean doctor. His father, Hegio proceeds to buy many Elean slaves to trade for his son. He ends up buying a well-known Elean named Philocrates, who is accompanied by his own slave, Tyndarus. Hegio plans to send the master back to Elis to facilitate the trade. But Tyndarus and Philocrates switched identities, which would have caused the deal to fall through. Hegio is infuriated, and orders Tyndarus to the quarries. David Konstan explains the theme of this play as, â€Å"the conflict between a stern, conventional father and a son driven to defiance by the irresistible force of erotic passion. A common figure in these plays is the household slave, who risks the displeasure of his senior master†¦in order to advance the amatory interests of the junior,† (Konstan 59). Instead of the general storyline, Philocrates is the senior master because he is the original owner of Tyndarus. Hegio is the junior master because he has only recently obtained Tyndarus. Hegio still holds all power over Tyndarus, though, and this act of defiance would normally be punished with death for the perpetrator. Instead, Hegio is convinced by Tyndarus that his actions were purely out of loyalty, and not to offend Hegio. Hegio respects this and decides to let him live. Another famous play by Plautus that contains the role of the cunning slave who is not punished justly is Rudens. Gripus, the slave of a poor man that lives on the coast comes across a treasure chest while fishing, and dreams of what he will do with his spoils, explaining that he will buy his freedom and become a tyrant with his immense wealth. Another slave, Trachalio comes along, though, and claims that if Gripus doesn’t split the treasure with him, then he will report Gripus to the original owner of the treasure. Gripus argues that the treasure is his because the sea belongs to no one, and consequently that which is recovered from the sea belongs to the finder. Trachalio suggests they settle the argument by talking to Gripus’ owner Daemones. Daemones sides with Trachalio, who wanted the treasure not for himself, but for the original owner, Palaestra. Daemones then chides Gripus for his selfishness, â€Å"Daemones angrily sends him into the house and complains about the poor quality of slaves; luckily, he reflects, Gripus didn’t meet another like himself, or both would have been implicated in the crime,† (Konstan 84). Trachalio is the cunning slave in this example, and he, like Tyndarus, is not motivated by selfish reasons, but by doing what is right. This is the reason why the cunning slave is celebrated in Roman Theater. Duckworth describes the attitude of this slave as, â€Å"the freedom and insolence of the comic slaves, their immunity from serious punishment, their happy-go-luck existence†¦combine to paint a picture of slave life that bears little relation to reality,† (Duckworth 290). In his essay entitle Comic Shackles, Ulrike Roth elaborates on this point saying, â€Å"But Geta’s concern is not evidence for the employment of chained labour on the land. Both Plautus and Terence, then, do not employ the image of the chained slave for work on the land of Roman slave owners,† (Roth). The slaves don’t actually suffer any torture throughout the course of the productions. In reality, the Roman master surely would have punished his slave for even the most minor mistakes, just to keep his reputation as a man in power. Duckworth says that, â€Å"however much the slaves of comedy refer to whips and chains, to the mill and the quarry and the cross, they seldom experience them in the plays. The frequent use by slaves of epithets like mastigia, furcifer, uerbero, verbereum caput, as terms of banter or abuse does not mean that the slaves are necessarily referring to punishments which they or their fellow-slaves have themselves undergone,† (Duckworth 290). Plautus and Terence do not want to show the truth about slavery of the time in their productions. This may be so that they didn’t insult anyone by generalizing what â€Å"most† Romans did. If a play was poorly received, then the citizen who invested in the production would likely destroy the name of the playwright. Duckworth explains that, â€Å"when the intrigue is directed against a pompous soldier or a rascally leno, the slave’s machinations have the approval of the other characters and the sympathy of the spectators. Such trickery is successful and there is no question of punishment,† (Duckworth 288). When the audience is on the side of the trickster, there is no need for punishment in the eyes of the audience. This technique is essential in Roman theater. It makes the slave, a degenerate type in the eyes of most Romans, the hero of the play; an integral part in the outcome of the story. Just like in Miles Gloriosus. Plautus writes about the character of Palaestrio as another example of this motif. He plots and schemes against his new master Pyrgopolynices in order to return the kidnapped Philocomasium to his former master, Pleusicles. Pleusicles hides with an old man next door after receiving a letter from Palaestrio about their location. Palaestrio crafts an opening in the wall so that the girl can visit her true love behind the soldier’s back. The plan almost fails when another slave sees the girl with another man, but through his craftiness Palaestrio manages to convince him it was the girl’s visiting twin sister. He then enlists the help of a courtesan to stand in for the neighbour’s wife and seduces the soldier so he will set the girl free. The ruse is successful, and Palaestrio escapes with his old master and the girl. The freedom that Palaestrio has in this play is something to be desired by all slaves. The fact that he could find paper to write a letter to his master in secret and that he could even write at all is hard to imagine of a slave during this time period. But his defiance of the unjust soldier Pyrgopolynices is admired by the audience because he is one of the main characters. This depiction of the life of a slave is not one of reality, but it does make for good entertainment. The pardoning of slaves and the cunning slave are two important motifs in Roman theater. Duckworth states, â€Å"Angry threats†¦are not to be taken seriously. They are more useful in portraying the comic aspects of a young man’s impatience or an old man’s wrath than in throwing light upon the relation of master and slave in antiquity,† (Duckworth 289). The slave is usually meant to be a beloved character that either encourages the main character to do what is right or is the main character himself.

Climbing Out of the Wallpaper

Climbing Out of the Wallpaper Free Online Research Papers Can people really climb out of wallpaper? Charlotte Perkins Gilman gives the impression that the narrator does in her short story â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper.† The narrator and her husband (a doctor) vacation in a colonial mansion in order to rid the wife of her depression and anxiety. They bring along the husband’s sister to care for their young son. After going through many psychological conflicts, the wife finally overcomes her fears and anxieties. In the story, the yellow wallpaper and the colonial mansion help build a gloomy and cowardly ambiance. Contrast between the paper and the â€Å"haunted† house depict the narrator’s weakness and anxiety. However, various settings, the husband, and the wallpaper eventually help the narrator to conquer her fears by stripping away layers of societal expectations. With the estate remaining empty for so long and the cheapness of it, the house gives way to mystery and haunting. The narrator states, â€Å"I would say a haunted house† which reflects her concerns in life (513). The â€Å"haunted† house indicates a conflict within herself that she cannot control. She also questions, â€Å"Else, why would it be let so cheaply?† (513). She illustrates a sense of uneasiness being in a strange home; by questioning the price, she suggests that the house is unappealing to others and has an apprehension to it. Provoking negativity on her outlook of life, the â€Å"yellow wallpaper† as she says is, â€Å"pronounced enough to constantly irritate . . . they suddenly commit suicide† (514). The narrator influences and agitates easily. She demonstrates how the wallpaper drives her mad and promotes her depressing self-esteem. Although the narrator’s husband believes that the house is therapeutic, she perceives it as smothering. She said her husband â€Å"meant to repaper the room, but afterwards he said that I was letting it get the better of me, and nothing was worse for a nervous patient than to give way to such fantasies† (515). The yellow wallpaper intensifies the narrator’s diminutive feelings of self-worth and her pessimistic temptations. She considers herself as a burden because she has such nervous tendencies. Since the narrator is unable to provide care to her own son, a small child, her sister in law tends to him, which only increases her nervousness a nd negative feelings of confidence. The doctor does not even allow his wife to perform any of her wifely duties and forces her to nap, or so they think. The doctor’s â€Å"watchful eye† produces a discouraging effect on her. She mentions, â€Å"John has cautioned me not to give way to fancy . . . a nervous weakness like mine is sure to lead to all manner of excited fantasies† (515). While leaving her feeling defenseless and feebler, John does not realize the negative power he has over his wife. In his eyes, he is helping her to overcome her depression and nervousness by discouraging her to write; actually, he is making her feel vulnerable because he is controlling what encompasses her life. Strangely, the growing irritation of the wallpaper causes the wife to turn into a deranged woman. When she â€Å"gives way† to her fantasies and her writing, she becomes unbalanced. She says, â€Å". . . I can see a strange, provoking, formless sort of figure, that seems to skulk about behind that silly and conspicuous front design,† which portrays how she sees herself (516). By being formless, she depicts how she is not of importance. With her husband watching her every move, seeing herself as formless only adds to her insecurity. Slowly, her state of mind becomes growingly unstable as her depression becomes deeper. She states, that she is â€Å"getting dreadfully fretful and querulous. I cry at nothing, and cry most of the time† (517). John sees her crying as a sign of weakness instead of as a relinquishment of torment. She has held anguish inside for so long that she explodes over anything. Why does her husband not see this? Is it because a man does not understand the emotional aspects of a woman, or is it simply in the 1800’s, women were thought of as being frail and inferior? Whatever the case may be, she is reaching out to whoever will help her find her lucidity again. The figure reappearing behind the yellow wallpaper contributes to her realization that she is the one trying to free herself. As her husband is sleeping, she watches the paper until it makes her feel creepy. She whispers, â€Å"The faint figure behind seemed to shake the pattern, just as if she wanted to get out. I . . . went to feel and see if the paper did move . . . â€Å"(518). Climbing back into bed, she awakens John. He then asks, â€Å"What is it little girl?† adding further demeaning to her (518). As she explains, â€Å"I really was not gaining here, and that I wished he would take me away† she is trying to relay to John that although he is a doctor, she is not progressing and she knows what is best for her (519). Eventually, the yellow wallpaper gives her purpose in life; since confined to her room to rest, she makes it her soul purpose to study the paper in search of its meaning. She exclaims, â€Å"I really have discovered something at last,† seeing that she is the woman trapped within the â€Å"wallpaper† (521). Although she says the woman is, â€Å". . . trying to climb through,† she is unable to because the yellow wallpaper is strangling (521). The wife uses strangling to demonstrate suffocation herself because she is unable to make her own decisions. John makes her feel smothered because she is too feeble-minded in his eyes. She also says, â€Å"If those heads were covered or taken off it would not be half so bad† (521). Eradication of the heads allows her to release the strong inner person and grow. Only then is she able to detach herself from her flaws and strip off that revolting shell that surrounds her. When she â€Å"peeled off all the paper† she could reach, she announces her freedom (523). â€Å"I’ve got out at last . . . in spite of you and Jane. And I’ve pulled off most of the paper, so you can’t put me back† (524)! The strong, liberated woman from within finally emerges and stands her ground. â€Å"Now why should that man have fainted? But he did† she asks (524)? According to societal norms in the 1800’s, women should not behave in that manner to their husbands. Charlotte Perkins Gilman illustrates how women can emerge into thriving, independent people by believing in themselves and overpowering social constraints. When people look within themselves and see their true worth, they are able to climb through that wall. Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper.† The Norton Introduction to Literature. 9th ed. Eds. Alison Booth, et al. New York: Norton, 2006. 513-524. Research Papers on Climbing Out of the WallpaperMind TravelArguments for Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS)Honest Iagos Truth through DeceptionCapital PunishmentThe Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsThe Hockey GameBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm XPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationTrailblazing by Eric Anderson

Wreiter choice Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Wreiter choice - Research Paper Example The effects of media are felt differently in various parameters but there are common effects that will be critically analyzed in this article. The evaluation will therefore incorporate more knowledge into the reader of the article on the absolute effects of media in the society. This article will highlight appropriate issues that an individual should know in the matter of effects of mass media to the society. The influence of media in our lives thus the society as a whole is greatly related to the degree in which an individual interacts with the elements of media on a daily basis. Books are always highly influential because they came first before articles such as magazines, newspapers, and radio. In the 20th century, the television and radio were very influential as they were used in advertisements, marketing and many more. By the 21st century the great influence was from the internet through the worldwide website inform of blogs, social networks, and wikis. First, there should be a distinction between the effects and effectiveness of the mass media. In the capacity to achieve certain objectives whether attracting large audiences or influencing opinion and behavior of individuals. Both of these matters are paramount though there are a different set of consideration relating to each other. The second issue is whether individuals are concerned with the future or past thus this will facilitate their interaction with media to be often due to the search of particular important information. The last point is to know if the effects occur on an individual, group, culture, institution, or the society. In this case the major focus is on the effects and influence on the society (Perse & Elizabeth, 51). The effects of media on the society are always difficult to recognize because they take long to happen and they are always evolving on a daily