Euripides: Hecuba (companions To Greek And Roman Tragedy)

Chosen as one of the ten canonical plays by Euripides during the Hellenistic period in Greece, Hecuba was popular throughout Antiquity. The play also became part of the so-called 'Byzantine triad' of three plays of Euripides (along with Phoenician Women and Orestes ) selected for study in school curricula, above all for the brilliance of its rhetorical speeches and quotable traditional wisdom. Translations into Latin and vernacular languages, as well as stage performances emerged early in the sixteenth century. The Renaissance admired the play for its representation of the extraordinary suffering and misfortunes of its newly-enslaved heroine, the former queen of Troy Hecuba, for the courageous sacrificial death of her daughter Polyxena, and for the beleaguered queen's surprisingly successful revenge against the unscrupulous killer of her son Polydorus. Later periods, however, developed reservations about the play's revenge plot and its unity. Recent scholarship has favorably reassessed the play in its original cultural and political context and the past thirty years have produced a number of exciting staged productions. Hecuba has emerged as a profound exploration of the difficulties of establishing justice and a stable morality in post-war situations. This book investigates the play's changing critical and theatrical reception from Antiquity to the present, its mythical and political background, its dramatic and thematic unity, and the role of its choruses. Chosen as one of the ten canonical plays by Euripides during the Hellenistic period in Greece, Hecuba was popular throughout Antiquity. The play also became part of the so-called 'Byzantine triad' of three plays of Euripides (along with Phoenician Women & Orestes ) selected for study in school curricula, above all for the brilliance of its rhetorical speeches & quotable traditional wisdom. Translations into Latin & vernacular languages, as well as stage performances emerged early in the 16th century. The Renaissance admired the play for its representation of the extraordinary suffering & misfortunes of its newly-enslaved heroine, the former queen of Troy Hecuba, for the courageous sacrificial death of her daughter Polyxena, & for the beleaguered queen's surprisingly successful revenge against the unscrupulous killer of her son Polydorus. Later periods, however, developed reservations about the play's revenge plot & its unity. Recent scholarship has favorably reassessed the play in its original cultural & political context & the past 30 years have produced a number of exciting staged productions. Hecuba has emerged as a profound exploration of the difficulties of establishing justice & a stable morality in post-war situations. This book investigates the play's changing critical & theatrical reception from Antiquity to the present, its mythical & political background, its dramatic & thematic unity & the role of its choruses. Cover page Halftitle page Series page Title page Copyright page Contents Maps of the World of Hecuba List of Illustrations Acknowledgments Preface 1 The Play in its Context 2 Theatrical Festivals and the Mythical Tradition The Performance Context The Mythical Tradition 3 Dramatic Structure and Unity The Action of the Play The ‘Problem of Unity’ 4 Interpreting the Action: Hecuba and the Power of Persuasion Ghosts in Greek Tragedy Hecuba’s Entrance The Debate between Odysseus and Hecuba Polyxena’s Sacrifice Hecuba’s Supplication to Agamemnon 5 Hecuba’s Revenge The Final ‘Trial’ Hecuba’s Trial Speech 6 The Role of the Chorus 7 Sizing up Revenge Tragedy Concluding Analysis of the Play 8 Performances of Hecuba Pre-twentieth- century Performances Twentieth- and Twenty-first-century Performances Chronology Glossary of Ancient and Technical Terms Guide to Further Reading Notes Bibliography Index