Customer Reviews

The Complete Greek Tragedies, Volume 4: Euripides (Complete Greek Tragedies)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Euripides was the last of the three great tragedians of classical Athens. Out of a body of work composed of 88 tragedies and satyr plays approximately 19 survive in their entirety alongside more fragmentary remains of lost plays than are available from Aeschylus and Sophocles. Among the works that survive are such masterpieces as "The Bacchae," "Iphigenia in Aulis," "Heracles," "Alcestis," and "Medea." T.B.L. Webster, in an indispensable study, concluded that for much of his career, at each annual dramatic festival in the Theater of Dionysus, Euripides would present one play about an evil woman, one about a suffering woman, and a play about men or on another topic. Contemporary accounts inform us that his bold presentation of women was considered shocking and challenged the preconceptions of his audience and of his time. Congruent with this theme there is the theme of war that runs throughout his plays. It could be said that he invented the romance thousands of years before Shakespeare.

"The Bacchae" concerns the attempt by the young Theban king Pentheus to suppress the nascent cult of the god Dionysus. It is Euripides' most complex and haunting masterpiece. It's themes are freedom, repression and civilization. It's also about the inner fears which we project unto the world and come to believe are real. The horror of the ending is unparallelled. It stands along side "Prometheus Bound" and "Oedipus the King" as the pinnacle of Greek tragedy.

"Iphigenia in Aulis" (*) deals with the decision by King Agamemnon to ritually sacrifice his daughter in order to pursue an unnecessary war against Troy. It is a study in self-deception, propaganda and a struggle between values. Clytemnestra's fierce love for her daughter, Agamemnon's moral hesitancy and Achilles' mock heroics are all richly drawn in a rich and suspenseful play. "Heracles" revolves around one man's confrontation with ultimate tragedy, questions of suicide and survival. It is striking for the main protagonist's embrace of God as something solitary and morally perfect. The relationship between Heracles and Theseus is one of the most touching in Greek tragedy. "Alcestis" concerns the value of individuals and relationships when confronted with death. "Medea" speaks to the role of woman in ancient times.

Many of the plays contained within this volume are minor works. I personally do not care much for "Ion," "The Suppliant Women," "The Children of Heracles," "Andromache" and a handful of other works found here. Euripides was a most uneven of authors. But at his best, in his depth, power, thoughtfulness and skill, there are few to compare with the genius of Euripides.

---------------------------------------

(*) This translation of "Iphigenia in Aulis" is marred by an editorial decision to remove a number of lines from the play due to the belief that they are spurious. This is not done in the overwhelming majority of translations. It can also be argued that the lines removed were meant to be jarring by the author and are vital for interpreting the work as a whole. Because of this I never use this translation when reading this play. I hope that the publishers will one day decide to introduce the excised lines back into the main text of the play.