Svigermora

by Terence, Iris Aasen Brecke (Translator)

Svigermora (første gang oppført i 165 f.Kr.) er en av seks bevarte komedier av Terents. Kjærlighet, forviklinger og en hemmelighet som ikke må komme fram i lyset driver handlingen framover, og det hele forløses ved at et ekteskap reddes fra å gå i oppløsning idet den sanne gjerningsmannen bak en brutal voldtekt avsløres. Sett med moderne øyne virker plottet sjokkerende: Hvordan er det meningen at man skal reagere på det man får høre?

Stykket ble ingen umiddelbar suksess for Terents, og takket være hans unike bruk av prologen vet vi at det måtte settes opp både en andre og tredje gang før det kunne spilles til ende uten å bli avbrutt. Hans prologer til den andre og tredje oppføringen, som er bevart og inkludert i teksten, gir oss et verdifullt innblikk i forholdene rundt datidens teater.

Genres: Plays, Classics, Drama, Theatre, Ancient History

114 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 166

About the author

Publius Terentius Afer (c. 195/185–159 BC), better known in English as Terence, was a playwright of the Roman Republic, of North African descent. His comedies were performed for the first time around 170–160 BC. Terentius Lucanus, a Roman senator, brought Terence to Rome as a slave, educated him and, later on, impressed by his abilities, freed him. Terence, apparently, died young, probably in Greece or on his way back to Rome. His six verse comedies, that were long regarded as models of pure Latin, form the basis of the modern comedy of manners.

One famous quotation by Terence reads: "Homo sum, humani nihil a me alienum puto", or "I am a human being, I consider nothing that is human alien to me." This appeared in his play, Heauton Timorumenos.

Reviews

[Manuel Alfonseca · Rating 4 out of 5]

ENGLISH: Funny comedy of situation, where the poor mother-in-law, the best person among all the characters, is always left with the blame, without being guilty, and without even knowing why.

ESPAÑOL: Divertida comedia de enredo, donde la pobre suegra, que es la mejor persona entre todos los personajes, carga con todas las culpas sin tener ninguna y sin saber por qué.

[Melissa Rudder · Rating 1 out of 5]

After reading Plautus and Terence, I am quite convinced that Roman Comedy is more fun than Greek Comedy; however, apparently Roman Comedy is based on New Greek Comedy, which I haven’t read. Although I think the only surviving New Greek Comedy is by Menaender and incomplete. Don’t quote me on that though. So, anyway, Terence’s The Mother-In-Law was a fairly amusing play, except when you think about it.

First of all, interesting fact: some scholars are convinced that Terence may have been a freed African slave from Carthage. His full name is Publius Terentius Afer, the “Afer” suggesting an African origin. I just think that’s really cool. Ironically awesome. I think I remember that Hitler’s Third Reich vision was partially based on the Roman Empire. I think it would be hilarious if it turns out that one of the most commonly read Roman playwrights was black. Hilarious.

(Let me interject with a note to the reader: the rest of this review was written roughly two months after I read the play, so, uh, bear with me.)

Terence’s comedy relies on the execution of humorous dialogue between characters, which is well done. However, the plot does not fit his comedic style. The entire comedy centers around a rape, which gets no acknowledgment as a wrong deed; instead of the rapist being shamed or somehow darkened by his act, the shame lies with Philumena, the woman who was raped. There are many annoying details about this that I won’t write in here in order to spoil the plot completely. As if that is not chauvinistic enough, the entire play is centered on Philumena (her rape, her pending marriage, her pregnancy), yet she never comes onstage. Thus (to add two and two for you) she has no voice and—even worse—is not even acknowledged as a person. She’s just some sort of object who is to be bartered and whatnot, with no say in the matter (although we are told, basically, that she’s the perfect woman because she happily does what men want).

I know I have to acknowledge the historical context. Nonetheless, my review is for my contemporaries, not Romans, and I say that Terence’s sexist sexist play is annoying. Unless you look at it as an indication of the historical and social context of the time. Then it’s interesting. So if you read it, do that.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know comedy can be dark, but ho-lee smokes. In some older texts, it can be difficult to tell whether gender relations are being satirized, or if we are just bearing witness to antiquated social conventions. That is not the case in Hecrya, where we see just how awful women are treated by men. Yet, there are small soliloquies to indicate Terrence's attitude towards such treatment and they really pack a punch. In terms of laughs, I can't go further than to say this play has its moments, but in terms of plot, this one will stick in your head.

[Bella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read Betty Radice translation

Was pretty good and definitely had its quotable moments, but r*pe being the comedy/“punch line” isn’t it for me 🫥

(yes, I know it was a different time, doesn’t mean it didn’t make me uncomfortable 😭)

[Rodrihitita · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sé que lo estoy juzgando desde una perspectiva moderna pero la resolución de la trama de engaño no podía tener una causa PEOR en términos generales. ¿Terencio moralizante? Si el mayor cabrón se sale con la suya.

Eso con respecto a la trama. A nivel literario puede que tenga cosas bien, pero es paja. La historia no merece la pena y el desarrollo, los personajes... tampoco.

[k. · Rating 1 out of 5]

wtf??

[ornella · Rating 2 out of 5]

Si Pánfilo tiene mil haters, yo soy una de ellos. Si tiene diez haters, yo soy una de ellos. Si Pánfilo tiene un solo hater, esa soy yo. Si Pánfilo no tiene haters, significa que yo ya no estoy viva. Si el mundo está en contra de Pánfilo, yo estoy con el mundo.

[Mrs Kenobi✨ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Panfilo, tira fuori i cogl… ah no.

[Jorge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Comedia terenciana de la antigua Roma, herencia de la dramaturgia de Menandro, que establece el patrón del drama burgués del siglo 18.
Presenta cambios fundamentales con respecto al establecido modelo de comedia romana o PALIATA:
- Un lenguaje sobrio y sofisticado, y una estandarización/homogenización del habla de los distintos personajes: todos hablan igual independientemente de la clase social, y todos presentan gran retórica. Evita los juegos de palabras y chistes facilones que hay en Plauto.
- Pjs complejos, con profundidad psicológica y contradicciones: especialmente la prostituta, la suegra y el joven enamorado
- Acción STATARIA (frente a la establecida fábula o acción MOTORIA): estática, reposada, pasan pocas cosas, recreándose mucho en cómo lo viven los pjs, importa la palabra, el discurso
- Separación definitiva FARSA - COMEDIA: sentido moral, desenlace feliz, comicidad muy controlada
- Elemento didáctico: trata de enseñarnos algo (doctere delectando)
- Elimina prólogos-resumen: aumenta la intriga. El prólogo que propone es similar al actual: ensayo sobre el proceso de escritura, representación. No escrito para representar gralm, sino para el texto
- Didascalia inicial es ficha técnica del espectáculo: habla del reparto, música, producción
- Elimina escena final de reconocimiento para todos los personajes
- Escenas de más de 3 actores

[Knut Sigurd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nydeleg bokmål

[Illiterate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Has more of a twist than his other comedies.

[Rebe Gambi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lo ho letto per scuola ma devi dire che ha un finale inaspettato e ha dei passaggi comici e strani.

[manu · Rating 1 out of 5]

hahahah lo stupro che ridere

[Santiago González · Rating 3 out of 5]

Una comedia distinta al no tener final feliz, y tampoco es graciosa. La trama no está mal, me ha parecido entretenida.

[Eskil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Da jeg på måfå dukka opp på et foredrag Aasen Brecke og Robert Emil Berge holdt i fjor mai ble jeg ikke bare litt forskrekka da jeg hørte hva som gikk for god humor i gamle Roma, og hvordan det som i dag er ganske tabubelagt var helt uproblematisert i de fleste sammenhenger den gang da. Derfor kan jeg med lettelse melde at forordet i boka (som forøvrig er et veldig godt forord) forberedte meg på både temaet og bokas skandering, og tillot meg å gå inn i stykket med senkede skuldre, hvilket definitivt førte til at jeg hadde en god leseopplevelse som aldri var spesielt kjedelig, men som flere steder fikk meg til å humre i skjegget. En god introduksjon til romersk teater, sans doute!

[Giorgia Saolini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terenzio è un commediografo particolare perché oltre a risum movere vuole anche farci riflettere e questa commedia è particolare perché da sempre ha spaccato la critica in due. Apparentemente Terenzio porta in scena un cliché ancora attuale, la suocera e la moglie che si odiano; in una società patriarcale come quella romana è molto plausibile ma in quella moderna? Diciamo che questo libro oltre a farci fare una grossa risata può essere un trampolino di lancio, non certo previsto da Terenzio, per riflette sul femminismo.

Voi l'avete letto? Adorate come me il modo in cui Terenzio riesce a farci riflettere?

[Ahmad El-Saeed · Rating 3 out of 5]

"بامفيلوس" اعتدى على زوجته وانجب الطفل الصغير الذي ظن أنه ابن شخص اخر وليس أبنه هو، وهي حبكة ضعيفة جداً والتي اوضحت هذا هي العاهرة التي كان يرتاد منزلها.

المسرحية تضمن قصة شاب تزوج من فتاة ويحدث بينها وبين امه الكثير من المشاكل، ولكن فيما بعد يكتشف ان السبب الذي أراد "بامفيلوس" الشاب ان زوجته قد انجبت طفلاً ليس بطفله، وان شخص ما اعتدى عليها وانجب منها هذا الطفل ثم سلبها خاتم اخذها.

المسرحية توضح الشبه الغريب بين مجتمع "الاغريق" القديم وبين المجتمع الحالي العربي.

[Aiday Moon · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

Me dijeron que era un libro pesado y lo cogí con miedo, pero para nada lo veo así. Corto y entretenido, aunque la trama puede resultar un tanto liosa, no sé si hubiese entendido todo si no hubiese leído un resumen antes.

[Ahmedovic Qutub · Rating 3 out of 5]

مسرحية قصيرة تتحدث عن دور عامل الصدفة فى حياة الناس و تأثيرها علي حياتنا الشخصية
و دور القدر فى ان يداوي أخطائنا التي تبنا منها

[Odisea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ah, bueno, dale