Euripides

Books in the series: Homer - Barry Powell, Wisconsin (2003) Classical Literature: Richard Rutherford, Oxford (2004) Ancient Rhetoric: Tom Habinek, USC (2004) Ancient History: Charles Hedrcik, UCSC (2004) Roman Satire: Dan Hooley, Missouri (2005) Classical Myth: Jon Solomon, Arizona (2005) Augustan Poetry: Richard Thomas, Harvard (2005) Ancient Comedy: Eric Csapo, Toronto (2005) Ancient Novel: Gareth Schmeling, Florida (2005) Sophocles: Bill Allan, Harvard (2006) Other volumes are planned on Aeschylus (talking with Richard Seaford, Exeter), Aristophanes (Ian Ruffell, Glasgow, preparing proposal), Catullus (Julia Gaisser, Bryn Mawr, preparing proposal), Plato (Diskin Clay, Duke, preparing proposal), Ovid, Vergil, ancient historiography, Greek tragedy (Nancy Rabinowitz, Hamilton College, preparing proposal), and ancient literary criticism. ------------------- MAIN BLURB Euripides, along with Aeschylus and Sophocles, was on the three great tragedians of classical Athens. He wrote 90 plays, with 19 having been transmitted to us.
Somtimes condemned in antiquity for portraying "ordinary people" and disturbing events, Euripides is now celebrated for confronting the darker aspects of human experience and for his realistic portrayal of human psychology. This book will be the first modern introduction to Euripidean drama for a generation. It will provide an overview of the great variety and range of Euripides' techniques, mythical subjects, and themes. It combines the advantages of the play-by-play and topical approaches by incorporating focused discussion of each of the eighteen principal plays into a general presentation organized by topic. This will allow the author both to interpret individual plays and to build up a nuanced sythnesis through treatment of major techniques and themes. Throughout the book the reader will be introduced to a wide variety of contemporary critical approaches, and the note on further reading and bibliography will direct the reader to some classic editions, articles, and monographs.