Quote:
Originally Posted by caleb72
Has anyone read any ribald classics? I haven't, but I've just started reading a book called Mandragora by an indie author, H. D. Greaves. It's based on a notorious play, The Mandrake by Niccolò Machiavelli - of which I know absolutely nothing.
However, my complete lack of exposure to this kind of perverse, 'naughty' comedy drew me to this work. I'm about 25% in and enjoying it. I wonder if crass comedies like "Are You Being Served?" were derived from this type of literature?
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The Mandrake is funny as all heck, I read it while pursuing my italian degree. I'll have to give this indie author a try. Ultimately, though, these types of comedies derive from late Athenian comic theatre, with roman authors such as Plautus probably being the most influential in disseminating this type of work. Classical comedic theatre was generally quite naughty.