Greek tragedy : an introduction / Bernhard Zimmermann ; translated by Thomas Marier.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Zimmermann, Bernhard, 1955-

Standardized Title:

Griechische Tragödie. English

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Greek drama (Tragedy)--History and criticism.

Greek drama (Tragedy).

Physical Description:

vi, 150 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm

Place of Publication:

Baltimore : Johns Hopkins University Press, [1991]

Summary:

This is a concise and well-informed introduction to the study of Greek tragedy. Originally published in a German edition in 1986, it is now made available for the first time in English.

Bernhard Zimmermann begins by discussing how the tragic canon was formed and by tracing the early history of the tragic act. In lively and thorough summaries of the major works of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides, he examines such topics as techniques of characterization, conditions and conventions of stage performances, musical and metrical aspects, and the religious and political content of the plays -- especially their relationship to the cult of Dionysus and to Athenian politics. He also discusses the importance of Greek tragedy for later developments in European literature.

Contents:

Canonization and Survival 1

Tragedy and Cult

Tragedy and the Polis

Theatrical Conditions 6

Structure, Meter, and Music 15

Chorus and Dramatic Action 20

II Aeschylus

Life and Works 26

History as Myth: Persians 29

Seven against Thebes 33

Suppliants 36

The Oresteia 38

Politics and Aeschylean Tragedy 52

III Sophocles

Life and Works 56

The Hero and His Environment: Ajax

Trachinian Women 60

Antigone 65

The Oedipus Plays: Oedipus the King

Oedipus at Colonus 71

Electra 79

Philoctetes 81

The Heroic Personality and the Problem of Human Knowledge 84

IV Euripides

Life and Works 86

Three Women: Alcestis, Medea, and Phaedra 89

The Cruelty of the Gods and the Triumph of Human Kindness: Heracles 99

The Hero as Common Citizen: Electra 103

The Transvaluation of Heroism and the Loss of Humanity: Phoenician Women

Orestes

Iphigeneia at Aulis 105

War and Its Aftermath: Hecuba

Trojan Women 112

The Praise of Athens: Suppliant Women

Children of Heracles

Andromache 115

Palintonos Harmonia: Iphigeneia among the Taurians

Ion

Helen 117

Drama and Mystery: Bacchae 123.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

0801841186

0801841194

OCLC:

22347570