Menander, << muh NAN duhr >> (342?-291? B.C.), was a Greek playwright who wrote more than 100 comedies. We know his work only through fragments of his plays, adaptations of his plots by Roman dramatists Plautus and Terence, and one whole play, Dyscolos (The Grouch).
Menander was born and lived in Athens. His comedies dramatize humorous situations, especially in love affairs, in middle-class society. The plays resemble many modern comedies that deal with problems of home life. Menander is noted for his plot construction, characterization, clear style, and sympathetic view of humanity. His plays offer gentle lessons about human relationships, but he intended them primarily to entertain audiences.
