menander
Definition
Proper noun A comic dramatist of ancient Greece (circa 342–292 BC). Menander is considered the foremost representative of Athenian New Comedy, and his works, though largely lost for centuries, have been partially recovered through papyrus finds. His comedies are known for their focus on domestic and romantic situations, stock characters, and their influence on later Roman playwrights like Plautus and Terence.
Usage Examples
- Proper noun:
- Menander wrote over 100 comedies, but only one complete play, Dyskolos (The Grouch), survives.
- The plays of Menander were more focused on everyday life than the political satire of Aristophanes.
- Scholars study Menander to understand the evolution of Greek comedy.
Advanced Usage
- Menandrian (adj): Pertaining to or characteristic of the style or themes of Menander.
- The play's intricate plot of mistaken identity has a distinctly Menandrian quality.
Variants and Related Words
- New Comedy: The style of Greek comedy exemplified by Menander, characterized by romantic plots, domestic settings, and stereotypical characters like the cunning slave or the boastful soldier.
Synonyms
- Playwright (general term)
- Comic poet (general term for a writer of comedies)
Related Phrases/Idioms
- A Menandrian plot: A phrase sometimes used to describe a complex comedy plot revolving around romance, family, and mistaken identity.
- The film's storyline, with its long-lost twins and confused identities, is practically a Menandrian plot.
Noun
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comic dramatist of ancient Greece (342-292 BC)
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