Uxor Irata: The Stock Character of the Angry Wife in Plautus' Comedies

Abstract

This thesis aims to examine the figure of the uxor irata as a stock character designation for married women in Plautus. Compared to male figures, female figures in Plautus are most commonly listed in dramatis personae as one of five broad character designations, most scholarship following this example. Of these designations, married women are typically labelled as matronae. The term matrona, however, carries defined connotations in social history, referring to an ideal wife that behaved subserviently toward her husband. Wives in Plautus whose behaviour aligns with this historical ideal are generally good in every sense, and are matronae bonae. Many wives, however, fail to meet this standard, and in fact go against it. I argue that the stock character label of matrona is applied too broadly to the married women of Plautus. As a stock type, it fails to reflect the number of wives who act contrary to matronal ideals out of anger. Disagreeable and confrontational, the uxor irata is a figure that possesses motivations, personalities, and habits that directly contrast with those of the matrona bona. By presenting close examinations of Menaechmus’ wife from the Menaechmi, Cleostrata from the Casina, and Alcumena from the Amphitryon, this thesis aims to illustrate the complexity of the married female character and her contributions to the plots of Plautus’ surviving comedies. Furthermore, the findings of this project seek to contribute to ongoing discussions surrounding female figures in Roman comedy by diversifying the repertoire of stock characters that are available to female figures, enhancing our understanding of the complexity and nuance of personality available to the female figure on stage.