Comparing plays from different times and cultures

Comparing plays from different times and cultures

The Swaggering Soldier was written in Rome by Platutus at about 200 B.C. It is a very typical ancient Roman comedy. It has the plot of the vast majority of comedies written at that time in Rome. A young man and women wish to be married because they are in love. However obstacles are put in the way to prevent this from happening. The main obstacles they come across is the swaggering soldier, Pyrogopolynices, who kidnaps the young girl. In roman comedies it is a convention that the young couple are pretty helpless to solve their own problems without the help of a cheeky and quick-witted slave who talks to directly to the audience and ultimately ensures that the play has a happy ending. The view of marriage in Roman comedies is a very cheerful and positive one. It is not surprising that Modern English pantomimes have taken form Roman comedies; the young and helpful slave could turn up believably as Cinderella, Prince Charming and Button...