u003cpu003eu003cbu003eAn important addition to contemporary scholarship on Plautus and Plautine comedy, provides new essays and fresh insights from leading scholarsu003c/bu003eu003ciu003e u003c/iu003eu003c/pu003e u003cpu003eu003ciu003eA Companion to Plautus u003c/iu003eis a collection of original essays on the celebrated Old Latin period playwright. A brilliant comic poet, Plautus moved beyond writing Latin versions of Greek plays to create a uniquely Roman cultural experience worthy of contemporary scholarship. Contributions by a team of international scholars explore the theatrical background of Roman comedy, the theory and practice of Plautus’ dramatic composition, the relation of Plautus’ works to Roman social history, and his influence on later dramatists through the centuries. u003c/pu003e u003cpu003eResponding to renewed modern interest in Plautine studies, the u003ciu003eCompanionu003c/iu003e reassesses Plautus’ works—plays that are meant to be viewed and experienced—to reveal new meaning and contemporary relevance. Chapters organized thematically offer multiple perspectives on individual plays and enable readers to gain a deeper understanding of Plautus’ reflection of, and influence on Roman society. Topics include metatheater and improvisation in Plautus, the textual tradition of Plautus, trends in Plautus Translation, and modern reception in theater and movies. Exploring the place of Plautus and Plautine comedy in the Western comic tradition, the u003ciu003eCompanionu003c/iu003e:u003c/pu003e u003culu003e u003cliu003eAddresses the most recent trends in the study of Roman comedyu003c/liu003e u003cliu003eFeatures discussions on religion, imperialism, slavery, war, class, gender, and sexuality in Plautus’ worku003c/liu003e u003cliu003eHighlights recent scholarship on representation of socially vulnerable charactersu003c/liu003e u003cliu003eDiscusses Plautus’ work in relation to Roman stages, actors, audience, and cultureu003c/liu003e u003cliu003eExamines the plot construction, characterization, and comic techniques in Plautus’ scripts u003c/liu003e u003c/ulu003e u003cpu003ePart of the acclaimed u003ciu003eBlackwell Companions to the Ancient Worldu003c/iu003e series, u003ciu003eA Companion to Plautusu003c/iu003e is an important resource for scholars, instructors, and students of both ancient and modern drama, comparative literature, classics, and history, particularly Roman history.u003c/pu003e