Plautus's play, ‘Mostellaria’ or ‘The Ghost’: Greek and Roman ways of life

Plautus's play, ‘Mostellaria’ or ‘The Ghost’: Greek and Roman ways of life

Q. Plautus’s The Ghost dramatizes a conflict between Greek and Roman ways of life. Answer with reference to the text.

Answer: "Mostellaria" or "The Haunted House" is a comical composition written by Roman playwright Titus Maccius Plautus. The play was written in the 2nd century BC. Its basic topic is the fault of cheating and identity. The play does not directly depict the Greek and Roman lifestyle confrontation, but this play is a good example of molding Greek humor in Roman color.

The story of the play begins with a rich Athenian called Theopropides that moves away from home in connection with business. After he leaves, his son Philolachas starts celebrating the color in the house. He spends a lot of money and makes feast with friends.

When the news of the sudden return of Theopropides is reported, Philolachas get nervous. He makes a plan to hide his antics. He lies with the help of his servant Tranio that there is a ghost at home. He says that due to some old sin there is a soul in the house and therefore nothing is getting normal.

Tranio is very clever. He assures Theopropides that there is a ghost in the house. Theopropides are prevented from entering the house on this excuse. More characters are added to the story, and the trap of fraud is even more entangled. In the end the truth comes out and everyone realizes their mistakes.

Although the Greek and Roman lifestyle have not been directly compared in this play, some cultural aspects are reflected. The background of the play is in Athens, which is the city of Greece, but Plautus has changed it to the Roman audience's choice.

One of the main subjects that emerge in this play is deception and cleverness. These are the common features of both Greek and Roman humor. Clever servants, lover son, and strict father, both are common in the comic plays of cultures. These character may not be a direct reflection of social life, but they reflect the comedy tradition of that time.

Persons like Tranio, which are clever than their owner, are the center of attraction for the audience. Such characters are also found in other plays of Plautus. This shows that Roman Humor adopted the Greek style and added his style to it.

"Mostellaria" is not just a means of laughter. This play forces us to think how to hide a lie and lie and how it all becomes a trap. It shows how to handle any situation cleverly, whether it is right or wrong.

The play has a glimpse of Greek society, but Plautus has introduced it from the perspective of Roman society. In this way this play becomes an example of a combination of Greek and Roman comedies.

In short, "Mostelleria" is a play that is a mixture of comedy, cleverness and human mistakes. It not only laughed the audience, but also a social message that no matter how complicated the lie is, one day comes out.

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