Narrative in Drama: The Art of the Euripidean Messenger-Speech (Mnemosyne, Bibliotheca Classica Batava Supplementum)

This book discusses the narrative form of the Euripidean messenger-speech, its style of presentation, and its place and function within the plays. The author makes use of insights from narratology and drama-theory, and shows that this traditional element in Greek drama is more complex and subtle than hitherto thought. NARRATIVE IN DRAMA: THE ART OF THE EURIPIDEAN MESSENGER-SPEECH 4 CONTENTS 6 Preface 8 1. The messenger-speech as a first-person narrative 12 1.1 Classification 12 'I' versus 'we' 14 'l'/'we' versus 'he'/'she'/'they' 16 The messenger as eyewitness 20 1.2 Restrictions 23 Restriction of place 24 Restriction of access 24 Restriction of understanding 25 Divine interventions 26 Temporary and permanent restriction of understanding 28 1.3 Getting round the restrictions 30 Getting round the restriction of place 30 Getting round the restriction of access 35 Getting round the restriction of understanding 40 1.4 Experiencing versus narrating focalization 41 how versus what 43 Experiencing focalization 46 Historic presents 49 Implicit anticipations (prolepses) 56 Narrating focalization 60 Dominant narrating focalization 63 1.5 Discrepant awareness 68 1.6 Conclusion. The messenger as 'I as witness'-narrator 71 2. The style of presentation 74 2.1 Scholars on objectivity 74 2.2 The messenger as character 76 2.3 The messenger as narrator 83 2.4 The messenger as focalizer 84 (i) Concluding evaluation 85 (ii) Interspersed criticism and engagement 88 (iii) Epithets 91 (iv) Comparisons 98 (v) Denomination 105 2.5 From presentation to reception 114 Signs of the 'you' 114 The messenger's own message 117 Reactions (1). The internal addressees 119 Reactions (2). The external addressees 121 2.6 Conclusion. The messenger and the "open perspective structure" of Euripidean tragedy 125 3. Narrative in drama 128 3.1 Why messenger-speeches? 128 The messenger-speech and the structure of the play 131 Messenger-speeches with preparatory function 133 Messenger-speeches with concluding function 134 Messenger-speeches with transitional function 139 Conclusion 141 3.2 The messenger-speech as drama 142 Direct speech 142 3.3 The messenger-speech as narrative 150 (i) Gestures and miens 151 (ii) Tone, sound and silence 155 (iii) Scenery 159 (iv) Objects 171 (v) Mediation 174 3.4 Conclusion. Telling versus showing 183 Appendix A: An inventory of messenger-speeches in Euripides 190 Appendix B: The messenger as eyewitness 194 Appendix C: Historical presents in the messenger-speech 196 Appendix D: The internal addressees of the messenger-speech 200 Appendix E: Concluding evaluations 202 Appendix F: Comparisons 204 Appendix G: Signs of the 'you' 206 Appendix H: Direct and indirect speech 210 Bibliography 214 Index locorum 220 SUPPLEMENTS TO MNEMOSYNE 226 This book, consisting of three self-contained studies, deals with the Euripidean messenger-speech. The first study concerns the form of the messenger-speech, which is that of a first-person narrative, and the consequences of this form. The second study analyses the messenger's style of presentation. In the third study the place and function of the messenger-speech within the play is discussed.Although scholars have dealt with the messenger-speech before, there is no single, up-to-date work of reference available. The present study aims at filling this void, while making use of analytical tools deriving from narratology and drama-theory. Eight appendices are added, which provide the reader with complete lists of phenomena discussed in the main text.Often considered transparent and self-explanatory, the messenger-speeches are now shown to be both complex and subtle texts.