Product Description

'Orestes' was one of Euripides' most popular plays in antiquity. Its plot, which centres on Orestes' murder of his mother Clytemnestra and its aftermath, is exciting as well as morally complex; its presentation of madness is unusually intense and disturbing; it deals with politics in a way which has resonances for both ancient and modern democracies; and it has a brilliantly unexpected and ironic ending. Nevertheless, 'Orestes' is not much read or performed in modern times. Why should this be so? Perhaps it is because 'Orestes' does not conform to modern audiences' expectations of what a 'Greek tragedy' should be. This book makes 'Orestes' accessible to modern readers and performers by explicitly acknowledging the gap between ancient and modern ideas of tragedy. If we are to appreciate what is unusual about the play, we have to think in terms of its impact on its original audience. What did they expect from a tragedy, and what would they have made of 'Orestes'?

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #527162 in Books
• Published on: 2008-12-11
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 176 pages

About the Author
Matthew Wright is Senior Lecturer in Classics at the University of Exeter. He is the author of 'Euripides' Escape-Tragedies' (2005).