Women In The Pot Of Gold Plautus

WRITINGS OF PLAUTUS
In Plautus’ plays The Haunted House and The Pot of Gold Plautus tells stories of families staged during the ancient times in Athens. Throughout the plays Plautus depicts the Roman society. Giving insight to many Roman social concerns such as women, and women rights, how important politics were to the Romans, slavery, and father son relationships. Throughout Plautus’ writings it is very evident that women in the Roman society were to stay home cook, clean, manage the household they did not carry the same value as the men of the household. It is in the play Pot of Gold where Eunomia one of the main girl characters clearly states this while in conversation with her brother she says on line 122 “Although I’m a woman and really don’t matter, (For men think that women just prattle and
chatter)”. This states that in the ancient Roman society Roman men did not think very highly of women. Eunomia goes on to say line 140 “No women is noble—some are just less bad” Women were not respected by the men. Women were thought of to be the caretaker of the children, it was expected of them to bear children. It was of great importance that women knew how to spin wool to make clothing or those in their family. ("Ancient Rome :: Roman Society.") Women did not get to choose who they marry, it is chosen for them by their father the Play The Pot of Gold on line 270 Euclio talks about how he has chosen a husband for his daughter “My daughter’s getting married-- right away-- to Megadorus” It was very important to men at this time that they receive a dowry from his soon to be wife’s family, in The Pot of Gold Plautus writes a great deal concerning this subject even though one of the main characters Euclio has a pot of gold that only he knows of, everyone else thinks he is a poor man, when Megadorus wants to marry Eucilos daughter there is long conversation between the two discussing how Eucilos has no money to pay the dowry and Megadorus agrees that there is no need for a dowry line 226 “Agreed—but you wont forget what we have arranged. I mean about the lack of dowry that my daughter brings with her.” A dowry for women just shows they had no say in what they wanted to do, and who they wanted to be with. It makes it seem as though women were pawned off onto other men when they came of age.
Politics played a big role in Roman society it was something that was thought of to be very respectable, women however were not allowed to be involved in politics. However growing up boy children were bred for a future in politics in Plautus’ play The Haunted House on line 123 Philolaches (the young man in the play) exclaims through song “In hopes that what builds may some day serve the state-- …They spare no pains and they spare no expense. Then its lots of schooling: arts and letters, legal lore build his brain.” Philolaches is talking about how growing up a father builds his son, almost programming him to grow up and become a part of the Roman political system. Politics were very important to people of Rome because it showed a sort of rank amongst them, dividing them into higher class if you held position in politics. However just because you were in politics to not necessarily make you a man of wealth, it was an honor but it did not mean you made a lot of money being a part of it. Euclio says on line 225 of The Pot of Gold “Powerful politically but I am a pauper of impoverished poverty” this shows not all men of political power had wealth.
Slavery was a large part of Roman society rich or poor, almost everyone had a slave or two.
In Pot of Gold it is thought that Eucilo is a poor man however he still was in control of two slaves. A slave of someone’s household could have responsibilities ranging to just about anything that the owner wanted them to do. One of the cooks talking with a slave in Pot of Gold line 307 “In other words he won’t give us a silver talent to buy our freedom. Do you think there’s not much chance?” Slaves were able to buy their freedom with a certain amount of money. Once a slave has bought his freedom he becomes a “freedman” ("Women And Slavery In Ancient Rome.") Plautus play The Haunted House the master of the house has left to journey to another country for a bit, he leaves a slave in charge of his son, the slave allows his son to party and buy a mistress. Upon return of the master the slaves are scared, in this time of Ancient Rome it was not considered bad to beat your slave for their wrong doing, on line 60 one of the slaves says “Oh save your words as well, unless you’d like a lashing yourself.” It was not uncommon for a slave to be lashed a few times
over.
With the father being the head of the household, it was important that they raised their sons to grow up with powerful rank. It was important to fathers that their sons receive the best education as they did. Once their sons were of age they were expected to marry and start their own families. In preparation of this young sons followed their fathers around as they completed their daily tasks and political duties. ("Fathering and Fatherhood.") The goal in a young mans life was to gain citizenship, head into the military service and become a father himself. During the play The Haunted House when Philolaches is singing on line 128 he makes this clear by stating “To raise a son who’ll show the level others might attain, then its off to the army prepared he is sent.” In the Haunted House it is because of this relationship and how sons were suppose to act that it is why it was important to trick Theoropides (the father of the household) away from the house to the neighbors, this way he does not see his son and all of his mess ups.
Ancient Rome they had set ways that everything that was considered the social norm to be followed. Women were to stay home clean, cook, attend to the household and bear children. Get married as soon as they came of age and their family usually was to pay the dowry. After they are married the son is still not considered an independent citizen until their father has passed on. The men were to be in politics as high up as they can possibly getting in the ranking. Almost every household had a slave, the slaves were to follow the rules of the master otherwise they may get a lashing. The slaves responsibilities ranged in variety of whatever the master wanted. if slaves saved enough money they can become free. It was very important that fathers raised their sons to become respectable young men that followed in their fathers’ footsteps becoming a citizen, joining the military, finding a wife and having children and to raise their sons to become just like them.
Plautus writings are an interesting yet informative way of seeing how people acted and lived during this time in history. After reading the plays and comparing them to reliable sources online, it is clear that Plautus writing the plays he was using factual things, although the writings are fiction they hold a certain amount of historical value to them. I though the plays had a great sense of irony and told great stories. Very easy to grasp a sense of Ancient Roman Society with out the bore of just reading informational text about it. Work Cited

"Ancient Rome :: Roman Society." ThinkQuest. Oracle Foundation, n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2013.

"Fathering and Fatherhood." - Patria Potestas, The Middle Ages, Reformation- and Enlightenment-Era Fathers. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2013.

Plautus. Four Comedies. N.p.: Oxford World 's Classics, n.d. Print.

"Women And Slavery In Ancient Rome." Women And Slavery In Ancient Rome. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2013.