Plautus’ Casina and its uses in General Education-Level Gender History

This article details how Plautus’ Casina has been used in a general education comparative gender history class over multiple semesters. Since Casina was based on an Athenian New Comedy play (The Lot-Castors by Diphilus), it incorporates elements of late fourth/early third century BCE Athenian ideas...

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Main Author: Terrance L. Lewis
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press
Series:The Journal of Classics Teaching
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2058631024001351/type/journal_article
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author Terrance L. Lewis
author_facet Terrance L. Lewis
author_sort Terrance L. Lewis
collection DOAJ
description This article details how Plautus’ Casina has been used in a general education comparative gender history class over multiple semesters. Since Casina was based on an Athenian New Comedy play (The Lot-Castors by Diphilus), it incorporates elements of late fourth/early third century BCE Athenian ideas on gender, gender roles, and sexuality as well as Republican Roman views on these same areas from approximately a century later. For an introductory comparative gender history course which is designed for a wide time span, this play therefore offers the opportunity to look at two related cultures in just one work. The article highlights areas of the play emphasising those cultures’ ideals and values, and also deals with which areas students have most commented on and which ones are often ignored, in terms of characters, gender roles, and sexualities. The role and representation of slaves in those societies and within the play are also remarked upon.
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series The Journal of Classics Teaching
spelling doaj-art-68dd8e7b65fc4b3096d95f8b695c99252025-01-24T04:36:24ZengCambridge University PressThe Journal of Classics Teaching2058-63101410.1017/S2058631024001351Plautus’ Casina and its uses in General Education-Level Gender HistoryTerrance L. Lewis0Winston Salem State University, Winston-Salem, NC 27110, USAThis article details how Plautus’ Casina has been used in a general education comparative gender history class over multiple semesters. Since Casina was based on an Athenian New Comedy play (The Lot-Castors by Diphilus), it incorporates elements of late fourth/early third century BCE Athenian ideas on gender, gender roles, and sexuality as well as Republican Roman views on these same areas from approximately a century later. For an introductory comparative gender history course which is designed for a wide time span, this play therefore offers the opportunity to look at two related cultures in just one work. The article highlights areas of the play emphasising those cultures’ ideals and values, and also deals with which areas students have most commented on and which ones are often ignored, in terms of characters, gender roles, and sexualities. The role and representation of slaves in those societies and within the play are also remarked upon.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2058631024001351/type/journal_articleCasinaPlautusgender rolesgeneral education
spellingShingle Terrance L. Lewis
Plautus’ Casina and its uses in General Education-Level Gender History
The Journal of Classics Teaching
Casina
Plautus
gender roles
general education
title Plautus’ Casina and its uses in General Education-Level Gender History
title_full Plautus’ Casina and its uses in General Education-Level Gender History
title_fullStr Plautus’ Casina and its uses in General Education-Level Gender History
title_full_unstemmed Plautus’ Casina and its uses in General Education-Level Gender History
title_short Plautus’ Casina and its uses in General Education-Level Gender History
title_sort plautus casina and its uses in general education level gender history
topic Casina
Plautus
gender roles
general education
url https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2058631024001351/type/journal_article
work_keys_str_mv AT terrancellewis plautuscasinaanditsusesingeneraleducationlevelgenderhistory