Women on the Edge: Four Plays by Euripides: Alcestis, Medea, Helen, and Iphigenia at Aulis (The New Classical Canon)

Women on the Edge is an exciting exploration of women and their roles in the work of Euripides. The translations in Women on the Edge help readers locate the plays within their original social, cultural and performance context and mediate between ancient and modern ideologies. The four of Euripides' plays covered are: Medea,Alcestis, Helen, and Iphigenia at Aulis.

Women on the Edge, a collection of Alcestis, Medea, Helen, and Iphegenia at Aulis, provides a broad sample of Euripides' plays focusing on women, and spans the chronology of his surviving works, from the earliest, to his last, incomplete, and posthumously produced masterpiece. Each play shows women in various roles--slave, unmarried girl, devoted wife, alienated wife, mother, daughter--providing a range of evidence about the kinds of meaning and effects the category woman conveyed in ancient Athens. The female protagonists in these plays test the boundaries--literal and conceptual--of their lives.

Although women are often represented in tragedy as powerful and free in their thoughts, speech and actions, real Athenian women were apparently expected to live unseen and silent, under control of fathers and husbands, with little political or economic power. Women in tragedy often disrupt normal life by their words and actions: they speak out boldly, tell lies, cause public unrest, violate custom, defy orders, even kill. Female characters in tragedy take actions, and raise issues central to the plays in which they appear, sometimes in strong opposition to male characters. The four plays in this collection offer examples of women who support the status quo and women who oppose and disrupt it; sometimes these are the same characters.

The translations in Women on the Edge help readers locate the plays within their original social, cultural and performance context and mediate between ancient and modern ideologies.

Booknews

Presents new translations of Euripides' , , , and , by feminist women critics who use their renderings to reevaluate the classical dramas' attitudes toward women and issues of gender. Introductory chapters describe Athens' place in Greek culture, the cultural role of Athenian tragedy, women in Athens, and the life and posthumous canonization of the playwright. Each play also features an individual introduction by its translator. Recommended for classes on women in antiquity or in classical drama, and for anyone desiring a new approach to some well- travelled plays. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknew.com)

Women on the Edge, a collection of Alcestis, Medea, Helen, and Iphegenia at Aulis, provides a broad sample of Euripides' plays focusing on women, and spans the chronology of his surviving works, from the earliest, to his last, incomplete, and posthumously produced masterpiece. Each play shows women in various roles--slave, unmarried girl, devoted wife, alienated wife, mother, daughter--providing a range of evidence about the kinds of meaning and effects the category woman conveyed in ancient Athens. The female protagonists in these plays test the boundaries--literal and conceptual--of their lives.

Although women are often represented in tragedy as powerful and free in their thoughts, speech and actions, real Athenian women were apparently expected to live unseen and silent, under control of fathers and husbands, with little political or economic power. Women in tragedy often disrupt "normal" life by their words and actions: they speak out boldly, tell lies, cause public unrest, violate custom, defy orders, even kill. Female characters in tragedy take actions, and raise issues central to the plays in which they appear, sometimes in strong opposition to male characters. The four plays in this collection offer examples of women who support the status quo and women who oppose and disrupt it; sometimes these are the same characters.

Book Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 4 Contents......Page 5 Preface......Page 10 INTRODUCTION......Page 18 Athens and Greek Culture......Page 22 Athenian Tragedy: A Civic Institution......Page 41 Women in Athens......Page 65 Euripides......Page 81 The ~Afterlife~ of Euripides......Page 100 ALCESTIS......Page 108 Introduction......Page 110 Alcestis......Page 121 MEDEA......Page 164 Introduction......Page 166 Medea......Page 186 HELEN......Page 234 Introduction......Page 236 Helen......Page 254 IPHIGENIA AT AULIS......Page 320 Introduction......Page 322 Iphigenia at Aulis......Page 345 Notes......Page 408 References......Page 496 Women on the Edge is an exciting exploration of women and their roles in the work of Euripides. The translations in Women on the Edge help readers locate the plays within their original social, cultural and performance context and mediate between ancient and modern ideologies. The four of Euripides plays covered are: Medea Alcestis Helen Iphigenia at Aulis. The form of mass entertainment commonly known as "Greek" tragedy was not a widespread phenomenon but a peculiarly Athenian art form, closely associated with the life of a particular polis ("city-state") at a particular time, namely Athens in the latter part of the fifth century (500-400) BCE. Women on the Edge is an exciting exploration of women and their roles in the work of Euripides. The four of Euripides' plays covered are Medea, Alcestis, Helen and Iphigenia at Aulis.