Research Paper on:
Overview of the Story of Spartacus

Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
of the 1960 movie starring Kirk Douglas and Laurence Olivier. It is also a book that was written by Howard Fast while he was in prison for refusing to  give the names of other communists during the coldest days of the cold war. That was 1953. The story itself is an account of a slave revolt in  71 B.C. It tells of a man born into the possibility of greatness who , from the humble status of slave becomes a gladiator and then leads others in  an act of rebellion. What makes something a classic or something that appeals to audiences of all ages and in all eras? The answer: it speaks to  different people, their experiences and reactions. In order to maintain popularity for centuries, it must encompass some of the attributes that are shared by all people from all times  and walks of life. A classic, such as the story of Spartacus by Howard Fast, speaks to every man, woman and child in a different ,manner and yet has  a universal appeal as well. In the tradition of an ancient tragedy, Fast surrounds his main character with others whose role and distinctinction gives meaning to the story of  this one man. It begins with the death of the gladiator and winds its way back into the meaning his life had to others and to Rome at a  time of great change. It is a portrayal of human experience and emotion that transcends time and place. Tragedy, as connoted by many in modern society, includes  a situation where an individual is aware of his or her potential and is unable to reach that potential - either by choice or by being thwarted by outside forces.