The Cambridge Companion to Greek Tragedy (Cambridge Companions to Literature) (Paperback)

~ P. E. Easterling (Editor)
Key Phrases: stagecraft criticism, multivocal form, tragic language, Oedipus the King, Great Dionysia, Suppliant Women (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"No dry handbook purveying conventional wisdom with an air of authority, this volume is the product of a group of scholars doing some of the most exciting work on Greek tragedy. They contribute essays on such subjects as the civic context of Athenian theater, Dionysus, the composition of the audience, pictorial representations of tragedy, the sociology of tragedy (gender, class), tragic language, and the construction of the plot, concluding with chapters on modern adaptations and performances and recent critical approaches. One may consult the volume on particular topics or read it cover to cover: the essays are lively and the treatments thorough without suppressing individual styles and views....Highly recommended for all classics collections." D. Konstan, Choice

"It is not merely ironic, but a welcome sign of growing theoretical sophistication among classicists, that the book should demonstrate so convincingly the benefits - indeed, the necessity - of studying Greek tragedy from more than merely literary perspectives. The general quality of the essays is remarkably high: they address topics of central interest with both methodological awareness and (where appropriate) command of relevant textual detail. In sum, I believe that serious students of Greek tragedy will find this to be a boon Companion indeed, and will return to their primary texts with excitement and gratitude for a heightened appreciation of tragedy's complex cultural significance." Southern Humanities Review

Product Description

Looking at ancient Greek tragedy in the context of late-20th-century reading, criticism and performance, seven distinguished scholars examine tragedy as an institution in the civic life of ancient Athens; a range of approaches to the surviving plays; and changing patterns of reception, adaptation, and performance, from antiquity to the present. 31 photos.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 410 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (October 13, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521423511
• ISBN-13: 978-0521423519
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #270,433 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Studying Greek tragedy begins here, and returns here later for reflection and broad context, November 20, 2006

By	Shaun King.com - See all my reviews

This is a rigorous companion to Greek tragedy studies. These essays are not meant to merely summarize but to actually contribute to the scholarly literature on Greek tragedy. The first three essays are about the social context of Greek tragedy and its function in Greek civic life, the festival of Dionysus, and its direct relationship to the audience. The essay "The pictorial record" is an interesting approach to discussing our historical knowledge of Greek tragedy with particular attention to Greek pottery (there are many pictures in this essay). Edith Hall's "The Sociology of Athenian tragedy" has a good discussion of tragedy's depiction of Athens, gender, class, and democracy (the latter is rather short).
All the essays are dripping with substance including helpful citations to other sources making this collection of essays important for anyone beginning to do research on Greek tragedy. Particularly useful in this respect is Goldhill's essay "Modern critical approaches to Greek tragedy."
Another noteworthy feature is the glossary of approximately 75 Greek words and their meaning in English.
This book will interest all who study Greece during the Periclean Age (between the Persian Wars and through the Peloponnesian Wars), poetry, Homer, tragedy, and the history of the theatre.
Another good, similar, and complimentary source to this book is Nothing to Do with Dionysos? Athenian Drama in Its Social Context edited by John J. Winkler and Froma I Zeitlin (although this latter book has only in common with the former the social and political context of Greek tragedy).

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Very thoughtful, well-organized collection of scholarship, March 17, 2008

By	J. Maclellan - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As you can probably tell from the other reviews, this book's intended audience is a serious academic one (or, at least, one pretty familiar with tragedy). As a Classicist, this collection has been an indispensible introduction to the different paths that fellow scholars are taking in their research.

For the more casual reader, Richard Lattimore's "The Poetry of Greek Tragedy" is a great start (it divides its sections among specific authors and works, making it a good beginner's reference tool as well.):

http://www.amazon.com/Poetry-Greek-Tragedy-Richmond-Lattimore/dp/080187260X/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1205774573&sr=8-6

For those more inclined to the cultural, performative and general aspects of tragedy, look no further than Oliver Taplin's "Greek Tragedy in Action". It is indispensible (HUGE influence in the field of classics!) and a personal favorite:

http://www.amazon.com/Greek-Tragedy-Action-Oliver-Taplin/dp/041530251X/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1205774924&sr=1-1

Happy reading!

30 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not a companion to anything!, March 26, 2002

By	byrner (The South) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Cambridge Companion to Greek Tragedy (Cambridge Companions to Literature) (Hardcover)

If you are a classics scholar or student, you might find this book to your liking--although I'd recommend you browse through it in a bookstore before buying it online, sight unseen. Just keep in mind, it is NOT A COMPANION to Greek Tragedy as it claims, which to my mind implies that it is a reference book about the tragedies and their authors. Instead, this book is simply a short collection of seemingly random and unrelated essays about select tragedies. This book looks like someone's attempts to get tenure in their department more than anything else. If you're writing a dissertation on Euripides or Aeschylus perhaps you'll find a tidbit of scholarship in this book that will make it worth the price, but if you're just a fan of Greek Tragedy there are better books to buy.