Nero Born Evil? Or Groomed That Way?

It would be very easy to dismiss Nero as simply an evil person with a soul blacker than night.  While he did horrible things it is unlikely that he started out as a truly evil person.  His soul was twisted with time and power.  He let the vast amount of power he commanded go to his head, which led him to do horrible, reckless, and thoughtless things.  After all his reign did not begin with terror and persecution, it began with peace, art, and a moderate emperor.  It was only as the years passed that Nero began to do such horrible things.  Also, even after his entire reign of terror as many describe it (the senate) the people remembered him as moderate and a good leader.  The liked him enough to decorate his tomb that is not an honor that would be bestowed on someone hated by everyone.  And generally rulers proclaimed as evil are proclaimed thus by the people.  If the people likes a ruler then that ruler cannot be entirely evil can they?

Is A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Sexist?

Generally when we say something is sexist we are referring to it's portrayal of women as inferior or as weak.  And A Funny Thing is no exception but it also portrays men in a less then favorable light.  Neither sex is shown as completely without faults or problems.  It is true that women are far more stereotypical but that is nothing new.  But the men are mainly portrayed as either tricksters, sex crazed older men, or as dolts.  Neither gender comes out of the movie with a pristine reputation.   While the men are portrayed as stupid or selfish the women are either prostitutes or old nasty women.  While both sexes are mocked, the women are still treated as less then the men, women are treated as property something that can't really be said about the men (even through some of them are slaves).  So despite what seems equal mockery of the sexes the movie still leaves us with the feeling that men are better than women.  And despite the ever growing movement for full equality between the sexes it is still a problem today.

Nero

Nero was born evil by nature, but the power he inherited didn't seem to do much to help stop this evil. With his crazy antics, obnoxious behavior, and cruel mannerisms, he seemed to play a torture on the common people. What is confusing to me though, is at the end of the article I noticed that it stated the common people loved Nero. How could one love a man who raised their taxes, stole their goods, pillaged their streets, and attacked their women? Nero was born evil, he had killed his mother and family, murdered his two wives, and was selfish among his rule in the senate. When Nero committed suicide, it was almost weak, as committing suicide was shown as a cowardly way out. Nero was cruel, but weak; Powerful, but corrupt.

Nero

I think that Nero was definitely corrupted by power. Since he was born into power he took it for granted and his actions did not seem like a big deal to him. When someone got in his way or had any chance at overpowering him, he simply organized an accident to kill them off. Even though I believe that power corrupted him, he had some sort of evil nature within him. For one, he had his own mother killed, and second he was a criminal at night, robbing and attacking his own citizens. Perhaps he felt like the all of Rome was his to do whatever he wished, like burn it down, but this was all due to his power that was not a privilege to him, but a right.

Nero's Nature

Nero was obviously a terrible person, however I don't think that it was the power that corrupted him.  The power just allowed him to be able to do more terrible things to people.  I believe that he was not born evil either, I just think that the things he experienced as a child such as his father dying lead to his actions later.  It also seems to me like his mother was not a great parent either she just threw teachers and tudors at him to keep him busy.  None of this excuses the treacherous things that he did.  There is no excuse for killing your mother along with condemning many other people to death as well.  He may have never developed a conscious which is something that is developed by experiences and the society around you not something people are born with.

Nero

Throughout his reign, Nero did horrible things. He killed is own mother for instance. For this reason, I think power corrupted him. However, I do not think that one can blame all this corruption on power. Personally, I feel that he was an arrogant man born into power. I think that he had a plan and nobody was going to stop it. This way of thinking shows one reason Nero was so ruthless. I believe the combination of power and arrogance was the "root of all evil" for Nero. The fact that a self-centered man with a plan was born into a family of power and money just exemplifies his will to do wrong. Nero started out evil and as his power grew, so did the evil and corruption.

Nero

Nero has clearly done some corrupt things during his rule which included killing his mother. Nero was born into power and money with the political status of his mother and power of his father. He clearly was surrounded by money and power since his birth. He never was really exposed to anything else so the power clearly just amplified his behaviors. I believe that the power given to Nero allowed him to carry out his corrupt actions in such extreme ways as killing his mother, wives, and many others out of anger and greed. The power clearly corrupted his already evil brain. Although there was no instance in which he was never surrounded by power so we cannot see whether he was just purely changed by the wealth and power or if he could have lived a normal and not so bloody life. Although I do strongly believe that he had to have be evil before because power cannot corrupt a person to do such extreme things.

Nero

I agree with others that Nero had traits that were probably made worse by his being in power. I think if Nero would have been born into a less powerful family he would have still shown signs of trouble (like his vanity) but he wouldn't have had the power to carry out his impulses and ideas. I also thought it was interesting how the author talked about his relationship with his mother. It seems like she had a lot of problems with the idea of power.  Some of these stories seem like they would most likely be rumors (like her seducing Nero to strengthen their connection) but I think it's interesting that some of Nero's obsessions with power might have come from an early age.

Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus

While I do not believe that one can be born evil, I believe that Nero was evil before he came into power. Before being Emperor, for example, he killed his own mother. That had nothing to do with him being in a position of power. And while Emperor, his insecurities and odd nature led hid to do all of the evil things he did, for example, kicking his pregnant wife to death and castrating his lover. He also went out into the streets and mugged people, which is not very nice. I believe power did not corrupt him but instead his nature did. We also know power did not corrupt him because he did at times use his power for good.

Sexism in "A Funny Thing..."

The movie "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" has aspects that are very sexist. Women are portrayed either as sex symbols or as a controlling wife. There are also songs that are sexist as well. The song that Philia sings is extremely sexist. She talks about how all she is good for is being pretty. The other song, about house maids, is sexist as well. It explains that every house should have a woman in it who are loyal "servants" to men. While there are many sexist scenes in "A Funny Thing...", it is OK because the movie knows that it is being sexist and it makes fun of itself for it. The audience should not take it seriously and instead should see the movie as showing us how absurd sexism is through these outlandish scenes. I think sexism is still an issue today and something that our society needs to continue to work on. For example, One of the most important things that needs to change is the ratio between men and women in elected offices, i.e.  Congress.

Nero

Before reading this article I knew that Nero wasn't great but I also knew that there were times where he had helped the people of Rome. I don't believe that he was born evil but was shaped into the "evil" person he became. I had heard that Nero had tried to kill his mother many times due to the power she had over him but I didn't know how truly "blood thirsty" he was. I could not believe that he kicked his wife to death when she was pregnant with his child. This is when I became disgusted with who he was. Sure he was helpful to Rome during the great fire and the provided an array of arts for the people of Rome to enjoy. I don't believe this constitutes who he was a as person. Having the power of Rome at his fingertips did not help any of this and I strongly believe that the power corrupted who he was.

Nero

  Nero was most certainly born evil.  In the reading it said that the first few years were fine for Nero and it was a sort of Golden Age for Rome; however, he was still doing evil things like murdering his mother for power.  He did make an effort to get the people to like him however.  He had a great musical prowess from what we can tell and often did theater performances.  Though it should be mentioned that the shows were mandatory and couldn't leave.  He also helped with the great fire that occurred.  He made plans to help the people and lowered taxes and gave money for rebuilding projects.  People still blamed it on him because he build a great golden house for himself on where the fire had burned.  Then later in his reign he kicked a wife to death and went on a witch hunt for senators and many more evil accounts.  Though power probably did contribute to his evilness, he definitely already had evil within him before his reign.

Nero's Nature

Before reading about Nero, I would have leaned more towards power corrupting him. I am reluctant to entertain the notion that someone can be born evil. However, after learning more about Nero I cannot help but feel that a predisposition towards wickedness was already present within him. Power most certainly corrupted him, as we see his rule slowly crumble due to his increasing paranoia and inappropriate actions. Still, his reign was made cruel early on when he poisoned his stepbrother Britannicus. Also, his reported actions of mugging people, attacking women, and the like were completely unnecessary and demonstrate a vile and cruel personality. Nero's bad nature was also likely influenced by outside forces while he was growing up, such as his power-hungry mother. All in all, I feel that Nero was born with an inclination toward badness that was only further progressed by his mother and the power he obtained early on.

Nero: Evil By Nature or Power?

     Personally, I feel that Nero was evil by both nature and power. Something in his character probably made him more prone to evil: selfishness, pride, etc. Anything small enough, but  susceptible enough most likely influenced this inclination. As time went on and he became more and more powerful, Nero was probably pushed toward such depravity, emphasizing the "absolute powers corrupts absolutely"mentality. I tend to lean more toward this idea because I've seen good people make terrible decisions when given power. Power highlights, more often than not, the blemishes within people's characters. History probably had a hand in this as well, since the records we have were written by people other than Nero himself, and thus susceptible to bias. Nero's wickedness, in my mind, stems from a combination of all these things.

"A Funny Thing..." and Sexism

I thought this film had many aspects of sexism, as pretty much all the woman roles in the film were connected with negative aspects and stereotypes. The song about Philia was probably the most sexist part in the film, as all she is good at is being beautiful and she cannot write and cook. Another, is the maid song, as it portrays woman as loyal servants to the men. Also, Senex's wife is always shown with a thick coat of makeup on, furthering that woman are just suppose to be pretty and always look their best. I don't think sexism is really a huge issue today, but it still is a problem. People more often reference sexism in jokes, but it still can be very offensive. "A Funny Thing..." is very sexist, yet it is portraying ancient times where men were the ones with all the power, thus not appearing to be as sexist as it could be.

Sexism and A Funny Thing

I think that A Funny Thing was sexist, but it was also making fun of itself and the genre and was therefore self-aware. For example, Philia is shown as not being very smart, but the following number ('Lovely') is a satirical take on flowery love songs. This also happens with the song 'everybody ought  to have a maid,' which is sexist because it is basically saying every household deserves a prostitute, but the song itself is poking fun at its own ridiculous nature. I thought A Funny Thing was being sexist without self-awareness when Hero and Pseudolos go to Lycus's house to try and buy Philia. The scene with the dancing women didn't serve any real plot point, and was mostly just there to show off women's bodies. It also diminished these women by comparing them to animals (the first woman was compared to a camel and the second is dressed in leopard print). I think sexism is still rampant in todays media but we are becoming more aware of it. I think movies mainly have this problem of being sexist and degrading women to lesser roles. However, I've noticed that many women run their own shows/are title characters on Tv nowadays.

Nero: Born Evil?

I think that Nero was probably corrupted by power, among other things.  It is probable that he was corrupted to become more inclined to evil through the abuse of his mother, but the power and the people trying to manipulate him probably got to his head.  He likely had some for of underlying insanity and perhaps a nature which made him want to resist expectations.  Those features are actually more based on how he was raised, not born.  It's certainly possible that he was genetically predisposed to being awful.  We also must account for the fact that the later Roman Empire saw him as the first anti-christian emperor and therefore probably demonized him to a greater extent.  Therefore, I think Nero's evil is a product of his nature, nurture, power, and the people who wrote his legacy.

"A funny thing..." and Sexism

       Although A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum was probably one of my favorite movies that we've watched so far, there were many sexist aspects of the film. All the women in the film are portrayed with a negative connotation. The main characters of the film are either a stern/uptight mother (Hero's mother) who the only way she can really "let loose" is to drink the love potion. Then there are the slaves and the normal women townsfolk that seem less then happy to help Pseudolus. And finally there are the prostitutes that work for Marcus Lycus. These women are very sexualized in the film, this is shown in the scene where Hero and Pseudolus go to the house of Marcua Lycus in order to find Hero's "love" and the while trying to find the right women are entertained by the rest of the prostitutes. When Marcus Lycus is trying to sell them a woman, the only characteristics that he talks about in order to sell them is there beauty and body characteristics, not personality. Then there is Hero's love interest, Philia who only cares about being pretty and doesn't care if she is un-educated because people find her attractive and that's all she needs. 

       I believe that sexism is still prevalent and is one of the problems facing the world today. I feel that there still the undertone that men are meant to be the "head of the family" and the "moneymaker" who is strong and able to "man-up" for any situation, while women are still expected to "stay at home" and take care of the children. Also talking about Paul's point about how women are looked down on for being promiscuous but are meant to virgins, while if a guy gets with a lot of females, he's only "player" and gets like high-fives from his friends. I do believe that as time goes on it will get better.

Sexism on "The Way to the Forum"

Without a doubt, sexism is very prevalent in A Funny Thing; however, its blatant exaggeration instead serves as a way of satirizing the treatment of female characters in "toga movies". Examples of this satire would be the musical number "Lovely", which pokes fun at the stereotype of the empty headed love interest, while "Everybody Ought to Have a Maid" satirizes the stereotype that men always think about sex. Other examples would be the brothel scene, where the girls are displayed at objects and property rather than people (and also pokes fun at Pseudelous'...wild sexual desires and Hero's fear of such experiences in the process), the portrayal of the domineering, dissatisfied wife and the slave who is solely kept as a "breeder." I also noticed that the "Triple Goddess" aspect of Neopaganism, the Maiden, the Mother, and the Crone, is also used; Philia is clearly the "maiden", the wife is the "mother", and the "breeder slave" is the crone, which also correlates to how desirable they are in the film: Philia is the most desired, the wife not so much, and absolutely no one wants the "breeder slave."

In today's society, while sexism is definitely not as prevalent as it used to be, it still exists, and is harmful to both men and women especially in terms of gender roles. However, there have been major strides in the fight for equality, such as in the business and entertainment industries, for example. As to whether it can be eliminated completely I cannot say, as there are and most likely always will be people who have a certain way of thinking.

Sexism in the movie

Sexism is very prevalent in the movie "A Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Forum"and it is displayed in dry subtle ways. First, when Hero and Psudelous are in the brothel, they are describing the women as animals and objects. They are not viewed as actual human beings, but just as purchasing materials for sex and child bearing. Then when the last girl comes out on display, she is downgraded because she cannot speak. Psuedelous immediately falls in love with her, partly because he can speak "sign language". Yet, the other thing I noticed is that he immediately falls in love with her because she can't speak, showing that an even better woman would be one who isn't able to talk at all. "The Funny Thing" is also sexist when they talk about Philia and how that she is only lovely. She can't read or write or do math, because she has been taught that she only has one power, which is being lovely and pleasing men.
Sexism is prevalent today but it is much more hidden and played down. Women have come along way and have gained a lot more respecting the film industries, but they still experience sexism in the roles in which they are cast. Women are always seen as sexual temptresses, or the reason why everyone gets in trouble in a horror movie.So yes, I would say that there is still sexism, but it is played down a lot and is not as prevalent as it was 30 years ago.

Sexism in "A Funny Thing..."

  A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum has very sexist qualities to it.  All the women that where shown in the movie where either slaves, courtesans, or a very controlling and mean wife and mother.  There was no good woman character with moral's or position of power like in Cleopatra.  The slave girl that the son fell in love with was utterly stupid and said that was okay because she looked lovely.  In essence this movie was showing that women are all servants and toys to the men, except for the case of the wife who controls her husband.
  In today's society there is sexism still around.  Men today have to be strong and show no emotional sadness or any "feminine" qualities in public.  While women are suppose to be submissive and not be slutty, but also at the same time not be a virgin, very weird standard.  Though through different movements this sexism for both genders are being driven away slowly, but it will take time just like everything else.

Funny Thing Sexism

There are no doubt multiple aspects of A Funny Thing that are sexist.  First of all, there is the scene in which the girls from the brothel are paraded around in front of their prospective purchasers.  This portrays these girls as sexual beings as nothing else.  In addition to that, the men are shown as only seeing them as such.  Hero and Pseudolus can barely even talk by the time the last girls has been shown.  Then when Hero and Philia first meet, she sings a song about only knowing how to be lovely, she cannot count or read, all she knows is how to be around men.  This is slightly ironic however considering that she is supposed to be a virgin.
In our society today there are still definite examples that sexism still exists.  That being said there are less examples everyday and that trend does not seem like one that is likely to stop.  This has been a problem for a long time though and realistically it will still exist even in a minor role for a long time to come.  Much like racism, there will always be ignorant people who just do not think the same as the society around them on these issues.

Sexism in A Funny Thing...

While A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum was certainly very sexist I would argue that one can not view the sexism in that harsh a light.  First of all, this movie was made during a time when sexism was more prominent.  Secondly, it alludes to the very sexist ancient Romans.  Finally, the material is parody humor.  The movie knows it's being sexist, with scenes like the virgin singing of her knowledge of only love, and it mocks the sexism, turning it up to eleven in the courtesans scene.  The sardonic wit of the play makes fun of societies views, and, while it may fail the Bechdel test, is it really a negative thing?  What strong society can't laugh at itself?
As far as today, I think there is still a prominent issue of sexism and that it still exists within our societal conscious, if weakened since the 1960s.  My suggesting to combat this would be to have more sardonic and controversial comedy challenging sexism and gender roles.

Sexism in Funny Thing

     In the movie we watched there is a clear theme of sexism. All of the women in the play are portrayed as sexual beings. Not only the prostitutes but also Hero's mother when she drinks the "passion potion" and would cheat on her husband because he can no longer provide for her in that way... Philia is also a great example of  this sexism. She is not educated as seen when she is easily confused by whether 300 or 500 is greater. She also basically states that the only thing she knows how to do is be in the company of men she was trained and taught only that as a slave. Also in this movie most of the women wear skimpy clothing that barely covers much. You also see huge warning signs of sexism as you watch the scene where the different women perform their seductive dance for the customers. In this film the basic role of women is prostitutes and in one scene Miles even believes that Heros mother was a prostitute as well.
     I believe that sexism is still an issue today and you can very well see that in todays films as well. Even today women are usually portrayed in a sexual role where they use their sexuality more than anything else. This does not discredit that we are making steps to show women in other roles other than just sexy secretaries but majority of actresses in roles use their sexuality in some way in the film. That may be because in today's society "sex sells" so of course if you want to make money you have to show half naked women.

Sexism

     Sexism in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is very prevalent. This is easily shown in the scene where Plautus and Hero are at the house of the courtesans. Each woman is clad scantily and made to show off to her potential male buyer. Lycus quite casually refers to them as property, saying things along the lines of not touching or damaging the "merchandise". This view is further carried out through different ideals present, such as a woman being worth more as a virgin or a female slave being worth more if she is fertile.

     The songs "Lovely" and "Everybody Ought to Have a Maid" also demonstrate sexism in the film. "Lovely" delivers the message that even if a woman has no other skills, all that matters is that she is beautiful. The second song further demonstrates the view of women being property and effectively sexual game for their masters.

     There are still many sexist trends and practices going on in today's society, toward both women and men. However, compared to the issues of the past, sexism today is not at all present to the same degree, at least in the United States. The sexes have gradually become more equal and this trend will likely continue.

Sexism in "A Funny Thing"

     A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is a very sexist movie. Philia's entire song about  being lovely is a prime example of this. She has no education, cannot cook or clean, but she is lovely and that's just enough for her. The way the courtesans were treated also illustrated this in the way that they were paraded around like pieces of meat and easily replaceable.
     Sexism is a bit of an issue today. There are certain behaviors that each sex must stay in the realm of: men must be strong and show no emotion, and women must be delicate and submissive. Though these archetypical behaviors are prevalent, sexism is a part of our culture that is very slowly being driven away. Feminism is on the rise as women fight for equal pay and strive for equality in other social manners. So though it is still an issue, sexism is dwindling to be less and less of one.

Casina Vs. The Braggart Soldier

After reading both plays by Plautus, "Casina" and "The Braggart Soldier", I could easily identify my favorite as "The Braggart Soldier". One of the reasons I enjoyed it more was the humor was a lot less sophisticated making the play actually funny because I could further comprehend and understand the humor they were using. I feel that this play could be appealing and enjoyable for many different types and groups of people. The humor would be easily received by a more vast audience than that of "Casina".

Plautus's Plays

Of the two plays we read (Casina and The Braggart Soldier) I enjoyed The Braggart Soldier the most.  The rhyme scheme and the wit made it highly enjoyable to read and the numerous hoaxes were hilarious and they constantly kept the audience on their toes.  I found the humor much funnier, as the humor in Casina tended to be much less sophisticated and a lot crasser and base.  I also appreciated the role of women, they were less property and more obviously involved in the story.

Casina and The Braggart Soldier

Out of the two plays, I enjoyed The Braggart Soldier the most. My favorite character was Palaestrio. His monologue in the beginning of the play helped me establish the story line, and it was also fun to read. Casina had an opening monologue as well, but Palaestrio was the first character I connected with so from the start I enjoyed The Braggart Solider more. I also loved the language used in this play. One phrase that made me laugh was "mincemeat of the foe." The bit that made me laugh the most was  when Palaestrio is talking to Pyrogopolynices and he says, "She alone could be compared to you in beauty," to which Pyrogopolynices replies, "Oh how gorgeous! Who is she?"

Plautus's Plays

After reading Casina and The Braggart Soldier I would have to say that my favorite out of the two was Casina. I liked the plot of Casina and how outrageous it all was. It also reminded me of more contemporary plays and movies that today.  I thought Casina was more funny, and I really like the characters and how they were all trying to compete against one another to come out on top. I really liked Cleostrata's revenge against her husband with help from the Chalinus, that was my favorite part. I would call it a drama/comedy.

Casina and The Braggart Soldier

Between the two plays that we read, I enjoyed Casina more because of the storyline. I really like the competition almost between Lysidamus and his son Euthynicus at first, and then the transition to competition between Lysidamus and Cleostra. It was interesting to see a storyline develop like this once, especially after the movies we have watched recently which portrayed women as the devils in the relationship. In Casina, I feel for Cleostra because she is the actual victim in the story and her husband is the bad guy. The Braggart Soldier was okay, it was not as enticing to me as Casina because the storyline was one that I feel has been adapted in movies today. Casina was new and had a lot of great twists and turns that kept me involved in the play.

Plays of Plautus

Between The Braggart Soldier and Casina, I liked Casina more, since the characters all had distinctive names and were thus easier to keep track of. The plot was unlike any I've ever read before, and its quick pace highlighted its sheer madcap character, which is basically "everyone sabotages everyone." I also liked the script, particularly the stealth insults and references to Greek and Roman culture. Two of my favorite parts were the exaggerated fight between the servants and when both Olympio and Lysidamus tried to make love to "He-Casina" and their subsequent humiliation. But what really sealed the deal for me was Olympio's incredibly sarcastic, "NO, it was Hector of Troy!" That was perfect.

Plautus' Plays

Of the two plays, I enjoyed The Braggart Soldier more due to its clever characters. I liked Cassina a lot and thought that it was wonderfully blunt, but its plot line was not the most interesting to me. The Braggart Soldier, on the other hand, was full of many twists and made more entertaining by the ability of several characters to play off one another when fooling the soldier. Palaestrio, though, is who really draws me to this play. I am very fond of a narrator, particularly one who is involved in the story, and Palaestrio fills this role. I also greatly admired his cleverness and found it very ironic that everyone else in the play listened so keenly to a simple servant. Additionally, I also enjoyed the rhythm and rhyme scheme of this play and admire the man who was able to translate with the rhyme.

Plautus Two Plays

I preferred Casina as I enjoyed its crude humor over that of The Braggart Soldier. The scene where Olympio tries to make love with "Casina" who is really Chalinus dressed up in disguise was great. I did not expect this from a play originally written in the Roman times, and was in disbelief of what I was reading. I did enjoy, however, the asides in both plays as Plautus used this method to create some very humorous instances. I also enjoyed the plotting and scheming in both plays, as it seemed over the top to go to certain means than just confronting the problem directly, but this added to the humor as well. The use of the neighbors house in both plays was also very funny as one would have to be very close to that person to get permission to do certain things inside their house and with their house, thus adding to the humor.

The Two Plays of Plautus

Between Casina and The Braggart Soldier, I preferred Casina. I found Casina to be witty and funny. I agree with what a lot of other bloggers have said in regards to it's comedy, for example when Lysidamus and Olympio touch each others private parts. I also want to add two scenes that I thought were also funny and have yet to be mentioned. The first is the prologue. The prologue introduces the story, which turns out to be rather funny. A man and son fighting over a girl is quite hilarious, and the fact that the man would cheat on his wife for the girl and that the son resorts to having his slave marry the girl is also hilarious. On top of that the wife finds out and decides to support her son. The other scene is when the two slaves of Lysidamus, Olympio and Chalinus, are fighting over who gets to marry the girl. They swear at each other and brag that Casina will love one over the other more. Overall the story had both engaging and entertaining characters and plot.

Plautus' Plays

Between the two plays "Casina" and "The Braggart Soldier" I was partial to "Casina".  I found it to be more entertaining and funnier.  "Casina" was daring, the content pushed boundaries that made it funny while "The Braggart Soldier" stuck more to the realm of normal.  Never before have I encountered a play that would be daring enough to include two men both accidentally touching another man's privates on accident.  It was this boldness that drew me to "Casina" over "The Braggart Soldier".

Plautus' Two Plays

     Of the two plays, I definitely preferred "The Braggart Soldier" to "Casina.""Casina" was a bit too crude and I didn't like how it was argumentative. "The Braggart Soldier," on the other hand, was a lot funnier to me. I really enjoyed the deceptiveness of Acroteleutium and her maid, as well as how gullible Sceledrus and Pyrgopolynices were. Whenever the characters would laugh or joke about how base Sceledrus and Pyrgopolynices were, I found myself laughing along. I also felt some suspense during the scene when Pyrgopolynices set Philocomasium and Palaestrio free. The rhyme scheme was very whimsical and made reading the rather long play much more enjoyable. Over all, I really enjoyed the play and wouldn't mind watching it live-action.

Plautus' Plays

  I preferred Casina over The Braggart Soldier.  I like the plot to Casina and the funny twist at the end compared to the plot in The Braggart Soldier.  It is hilarious how both Olympio and Lysidamus get tricked by Cleostrata and trade Casina out for a man and both Olympio and Lysidamus find out that they have been tricked.  It is funny how both Olympio and Lysidamus are ashamed of touching another man's package and how they tell Cleostrata.  The Braggart Soldier did not have that funny aspect to it like Casina did, though it was a good plot in general.  Thus I like Casina more than The Braggart Soldier.

Plautus

Personally I preferred the Braggart Soldier.  While the two plays had many similarities, the Braggart Soldier contains the wily and conniving character of Palaestro.  Palaestro is the manipulative slave I can truly identify with.  He's playful, often complimenting friend and enemy alike.  He has a lot of people working for him.  He's the one with all the plans and the intro that rhymes, though how do you make something from another language rhyme in English?  Casina lacks a true equivalent to him so I personally feel it is inferior.

revised abstract

The movie industry has gained technology over time that has allowed them to incorporate more graphic scenes into movies.  This is especially evident throughout the production of the four movies we have watched up to this point; starting with Cabiria in 1914 and ending with Cleopatra in 1963.  The improvement in graphic scenes in the later films adds to the intensity of action scenes and helps to develop the plot more effectively.  There is evidence from all four of these movies to help prove this point.

            In Cabiria (1914) there is a larger lack of technology than in the other movies.  Obviously there is the absence of sound, however the lack is also apparent in the action scenes.  During the scene in which Maciste first saves Cabiria, he flees to the roof and throws one man that was pursuing him is a vat of fire.  The man stands up while on fire and begins to writhe around.  It is obvious that this man is pretending and ends up looking ridiculous.  As a result, the audience relaxes in a scene where they should be on the edge of their seat. 

            When comparing the two versions of Ben Hur, the 1959 remake is clearly the more graphic movie.  In scenes such as the naval battle with the barbarians and the chariot race between Judah and Messala, this definitely helps to improve the scene.  The slaves cannot escape while the Romans and barbarians are fighting because they are chained up.  Their savage deaths demonstrate the brutality of the Romans.  During the chariot race, the vicious injuries that occur build up the suspense of the scene and lead up the final crash when Messala is fatal injured.

            While examining Cleopatra (1963) there are a few instances in which the plot is developed.  First, is the scene in which Julius Caesar is assassinated.  It is the turning point in the movie and leads to Antony coming to power and shows Julius Caesar being stabbed by Brutus, the man who didn’t want to betray him in the first place.  Next is when Antony abandons his troops in the midst of battle to follow Cleopatra.  All of the dying, drowning men call out for their leaders help, but receive none.

Essay #1 Abstract

 Essay #1 Abstract

~T.J. Rentschler

The Romans are known to have dominated the Ancient World. This holds true throughout the movies we have watched. In this paper, I will argue that the Romans were represented as superior in all aspects of life. Even though some of our movies portrayed them as the antagonist, they were still viewed as superior beings through their leadership, wealth, and military superiority.

The leaders of Rome are portrayed as the supreme rulers of the world in our movies. One great example of this is Julius Caesar in Cleopatra (1963). While the main focus was Cleopatra, the leadership of Caesar was also very important. There was one point in the movie where Cleopatra and Caesar were in the Tomb of Alexander and Cleopatra told Caesar that he could rule the known world. While implying Cleopatra's insidious agendas, this shows how highly regarded Caesar's command was even in Egypt. Cleopatra viewed Caesar as the most highly respected leader in the world. She believed that, with her help, Rome could be the supreme center of the world. After Caesar's assassination, a new great Roman leader took command. However, this time there were three.  Even with the three leaders: Octavian, Marc Antony, and Lepidus constantly fighting, the world still looked at Roman leadership as superior. This displays that even when one leader fell, there was always another great leader to take his place. One such leader was Quintus Arrius in both Ben-Hur movies. In the 1959 version of Ben-Hur, Arrius is often portrayed as an evil consul from Rome. However, after his adoption of Ben-Hur (Young Arrius) he is viewed with more respect throughout the rest of the movie. This shows superiority by giving Arrius the ability to change. The leadership of the Romans commanded great respect from all people in the Empire. Another way filmmakers communicated the respect given to the Romans was through the wealth that was portrayed. (316 words) 

Revised Essay Abstract

In this essay I'm going to argue that the development of the female character became more dynamic over a period of 40 years. Aspects where this can be witness is now integral their story was to the plot, the degree of agency they expressed, and the roundness of their character.

In Cabiria, made in 1914, much of the plot revolves around Fulvius and his slave Maciste instead of Cabiria, who is the main character. In the 1925 silent epic Ben-Hur, Esther's involvement in the plot was mainly in order to restore Judah's riches and was overall less important, while the roles of his mother and sister, Miriam and Tirzah, respectfully, are not essential at all. In the 1959 Ben-Hur, however, Esther actively encourages Judah to abandon revenge and provides important emotional support while Tirzah and Miriam also configure more into the plot: the news of their apparent death spurs him to race against Messala. And in 1963's Cleopatra, her story line is the plot, and makes her the central character.

My next point is the amount of agency the characters have. Agency is defined, in sociological terms, as "one's independent capability...the ability to act on one's will".  As a child, Cabiria did not have much independence to begin with, and it only decreased when she became a slave; and despite being her master, Sophonisba also lacks agency; she's promised to two men without having a say. As a queen however, she has more power, but what autonomy she has is spent on poor decisions. 1925 Ben-Hur's Esther uses it for Judah's sake to restore his riches and family, while the later version of Esther takes it upon herself to tell Judah his family is dead and tries to keep their existence hidden, as par their wishes. Cleopatra is the most free willed of the women; she is a queen who actively governs her country and takes the initiative to further her power, with sometimes disastrous results. 

Last of all is the roundness of their character. In earlier movies, women were static and did not receive much development. This is most evident with Cabiria and Sophonisba, who are either purely good or evil. The first Ben-Hur introduces Esther as solely a love interest, with Tirzah and Miriam as the victims, and Messala's mistress as a vamp. The second Ben-Hur however, cuts out the vamp, thus giving more development to the other women. Cleopatra is the best-rounded of the group by having dual roles: she is both a vamp and a mother, a more complicated portrayal.

In conclusion, from 1914 to 1963, female characters became more dynamic and human in their development, with more involvement in their respective movie's plot.