Aeschylus: The Oresteia (Landmarks of World Literature (New)) [Paperback]

Simon Goldhill (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0521539811 | ISBN-13: 978-0521539814 | Publication Date: January 19, 2004 | Edition: 2

Simon Goldhill focuses on the play's themes--justice, sexual politics, violence, and the role of man in ancient Greek culture--in this general introduction to Aeschylus' Oresteia, one of the most important and influential of all Greek dramas. After exploring how Aeschylus constructs a myth for the city in which he lived, a final chapter considers the influence of the Oresteia on more contemporary theater. The volume's organized structure and guide to further reading will make it an invaluable reference for students and teachers. First Edition Hb (1992): 0-521-40293-X First Edition Pb (1992): 0-521-40853-9

Editorial Reviews

Review

'... Goldhill's deep knowledge and love of his subject matter is demonstrable and his Guide will prove an excellent starting point for those undergraduates and beyond who are studying Aeschylus either in the original or in translation.' The Journal of Classics Teaching

Book Description

This is the only general introduction in English to Aeschylus' Oresteia, one of the most important and most influential of all Greek dramas. Simon Goldhill focuses on the play's themes of justice, sexual politics, violence, and the position of man within culture, and explores how Aeschylus constructs a myth for the city in which he lived. A final chapter considers the influence of the Oresteia on later theatre. Its clear structure and guide to further reading will make this an invaluable guide for students and teachers alike.

Product Details

• Paperback: 108 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press; 2 edition (January 19, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521539811
• ISBN-13: 978-0521539814
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.3 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,312,069 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Indispensable for the student of Oresteia in Greek, March 31, 2010

By 

Thomas D. Worthen (tucson, az United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Aeschylus: The Oresteia (Landmarks of World Literature) (Paperback)

Only three reviews of this work have been posted. One is part of a determined vendetta against Goldhill; one a corrective to that, and a third that says nothing.
This book was first written in 1984, probably as Goldhill's dissertation. It is an extremely difficult read, combining what were then new fields of semasiology, onomasiology, structural anthropology,and performance criticism of drama. The vocabularies of these fields were likely not even settled at that time, a situation which would help explain why the book is such a hard read, the reason it gets but 4 stars in this review. It is clearly meant to put a wide-angle anastigmatic lens on the vision of the Greek commentaries of the past which focus on issues of text criticism and the scholarly controversies surrounding them. As one must own Fraenkel to read Agamemnon, one must now possess Goldhill to read the Oresteia in Greek. Warning: plan to spend a month going through it, even if your Greek skills are up to snuff.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fine book, April 26, 2004

By 

Mr Soo Reams (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Aeschylus: The Oresteia (Landmarks of World Literature) (Paperback)

This book may be concise but it is nevertheless absorbing. Probably the best text available on the topic, and excellently written also. Recommended.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best short analysis of Aeschylus' masterpiece, December 30, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Aeschylus: The Oresteia (Landmarks of World Literature) (Paperback)

This book is a winner. In a few short pages, Goldhill offers the best up-to-date introduction to the Oresteia, with attention to language, plot, cultural background, and dramatic structure. You can't do better.